Lily and James' Last Year at Hogwarts
by theblizzardcat
Summary: TEMPORARILY POSTPONED AS OF NOVEMBER 6, 2004!
1. Going Back to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**  
  
**Chapter 1-Going Back to Hogwarts**

A solitary red-haired girl wandered down the aisle of the Hogwarts Express looking for her best friends' compartment. The compartments she had passed so far were full of timid-looking first years who were desperately trying to make friends with the other first years. She laughed and stopped walking as she remembered her first time onboard the Hogwarts Express. That was also the day she met her three best friends.  
  
_"Hi. Is this seat taken?" she had asked rather timidly. Every other compartment on the train was full and she had luckily stumbled across this one with three girls in it.  
  
"That seats free, but only if you want to join us," the blonde girl had smiled.  
  
"Thanks," she had replied. "Every other compartment I went in was either 'taken' or full."  
  
"I'm Caroline," the blonde introduced herself and turned to her companions, "and these two are Monica and Jennifer."  
  
"Hi," they both had giggled.  
  
"Oh, and my name's Lily!" she had excitedly told them. She was glad to have people to talk to during the journey.  
  
"So are you excit-"  
_  
Somebody bumped into Lily and knocked her out of her reverie, causing her to collide with the cold, hard floor.  
  
"Ouch!" Lily cried out in pain as she hit the floor.  
  
"Look what you did, Prongs," a male voice snickered.  
  
"Shut up, Padfoot," another voice retorted. "I'm really sorry about that. Here," a hand shot out, "let me help you up."  
  
Lily grasped the hand gratefully and let it haul up. She bent down to dust herself off and then looked up into the hand's hazel eyes, James Potter's hazel eyes! Lily's green eyes hardened due to reflexes from the previous six years. She glared at him for a few moments before growling, "Be more careful next time, Potter!" Before he had a chance to reply, she spun around on her heel and was stomping moodily down the aisle.  
  
"Wow," Remus muttered, "you handled that one well."  
  
James glared at his two friends until Sirius broke the silence and gave him and understanding look that morphed into a smile. "Good ol' Lily Evans. Never changes, does she?"  
  
"Very funny," Remus scowled disapprovingly.  
  
"Anyways," Sirius waved off Remus' comment, "let's go secure our compartment before some grimy-handed first years steal it. Or worse, some slimy Slytherins!" Sirius headed off to their usual compartment, the same way Lily had gone.  
  
"Good ol' Sirius Black," James muttered, mocking what Sirius had said earlier about Lily, his Lily. "Never changes, does he?" And jogged to catch up with Remus and Sirius

**XXXXXX**

Three girls were chatting and catching up in their compartment when they saw a mass of red hair pass it.  
  
A girl with short brown hair and brown eyes jumped up and hurried over to the door which the red hair had passed a moment ago. "Lily," the girl shouted and waited for Lily to turn around. She didn't have to wait long because when Lily heard her name she turned around.  
  
"Oh Moni!" Lily cried out. "I'm so happy to see you." She ran up to Monica and gave her a giant bear hug. "I looked everywhere for you guys."  
  
"Well obviously not hard enough," Monica laughed back. "Wow," she fingered the Head Girl badge attached to Lily's t-shirt, "this is impressive!" They laughed at that as they walked back to the compartment.  
  
"Lily!" Jennifer and Caroline cried out standing up from their seats.  
  
"Cari! Jeni!" Lily exclaimed and hugged them both. "It's good to see you guys again!"  
  
"Don't I get one, too?" a male voice pouted.  
  
Lily turned around and saw James Potter leaning against the door frame of their compartment. "Why'd you follow me?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"I didn't," James replied defensively. "We," he motioned to his friends standing behind him, "were coming to take our seats in our usual compartment. And when we got to our compartment, there was something different about it." James grinned.  
  
"And what was different about it, James?" Lily asked, clearly bored of his game already.  
  
"Well, much to our sheer pleasure," James paused grinning, "was already taken by four beautiful girls."  
  
Lily blushed apprehensively, which caused James to grin even more. _"Why must he always be so charming? No! This is James Potter. He's not charming!"_  
  
Caroline then jumped into the conversation and smiled wickedly. "Why don't you and your friends join those beautiful girls?"  
  
Lily turned and stared at Caroline in disbelief, but only caused Caroline's grin to get even wickeder. _"Did she just invite James Potter to sit with us, ALL THE WAY TO HOGWARTS?"_  
  
"Don't mind if we do," Sirius took up Caroline's invitation and pushed past James. He sat down next to Monica and smiled, "Hey. How you doin'?" Monica smiled and blushed in return.  
  
Lily turned around and faced James. A glint on his chest caught her eyes and she frowned. She stared at his chest and thought, _"Why is he wearing the Head Boy badge?"_  
  
James' noticed Lily's frown and followed her eyes down to his chest. "Oh," he grinned, "it looks as if I'm Head Boy and you're Head Girl."  
  
"Thank you Mr. Obvious," Remus stated and started chucking. He abruptly stopped, though, when James shot a look at him.  
  
"Lily looked at him, stunned, before quickly recovering. "Yes, it would appear that way. You must've taken it from Remus," she pointed at Remus who was still standing behind James, "just to make me angry, right?"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, Lils, but I got mine the same way you did."  
  
James walked forward and put his hand on Lily's back. "Well," he said directing her towards an empty seat so she could sit down, "all you need to focus on is the fact that we're going to be staying in the same tower for a year!" After saying this, he sank down next to her and placed is hand on her knee.  
  
Lily didn't hear what he said or notice his hand, lucky for James, because she was still staring dumbfounded at him. _"I have to stay in a tower with James for a year! There is no way this year can get worse."_  
  
Remus chose to step into the compartment at that moment and sat down next to Jennifer. They looked at each other and smiled shyly.  
  
Lily didn't say anything for the whole trip to Hogwarts. She didn't even scream at James whose hand had now advanced from her knee to her thigh.

**XXXXXX**

**A/N- Thanks for reading. Please R&R and tell me what you thought about it. **

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	2. The New Year Begins

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowling created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.  
  
Chapter 2-The New Year Begins**  
"I'm sorry I missed you guys for the whole train ride! I got stuck answering the same question over and over again for some first years. How many different ways can you ask one question? I mean c'mon," Peter complained. Remus, Sirius, and James exchanged an understanding look because Peter was describing himself without realizing it.  
  
The horseless carriage the boys were sitting and chatting in came to a sudden halt, causing them to jerk forward and then back. Once they exited the carriage, James stated, "I think this year's gonna be different." His friends stared at him because they didn't understand what he meant.  
  
Sirius gave James a questioning look and then asked, "What do you mean?"  
  
"With Lily, of course."  
  
"James, you say that every year's going to be different with Lily," Remus replied.  
  
"But this year really is," James whined. "I'm serious. You were there during the train ride. She didn't even make me move my hand!"  
  
"Prongs, I hate to be the one to break this to you but I don't even think she realized you were there, let alone touching her," Sirius said.  
  
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," James grinned.  
  
Everyone laughed at that and didn't talk until they were in the Great Hall looking for seats at the Gryffindor table. "Look," Sirius pointed out," there's some empty seat next to Lily and Monica."  
  
"They're not going to be empty in a few minutes," James replied grinning.

**XXXXXX**

**   
  
**"Lily," Monica started, "how'd you enjoy the train ride." Caroline snickered.  
  
"Oh, it was all right. Except for the part about James Potter being Head Boy!" Lily exclaimed. She really wasn't taking this news well.  
  
"I think that's a good thing," Caroline replied. "You two can spend some time together and you'll realize what a great guy he is!"  
  
Lily frowned at Caroline. "Well, maybe I don't want to spend time alone with Potter!"  
  
"Oh look, here he comes now. Maybe him and his friends will sit with us," Jennifer looked thoughtfully at Remus.  
  
"I don't want them to sit with us!" Lily exclaimed angrily. _"Why can't they see that he's a wretched bigheaded jerk? Damn! They really are going to sit with us."_  
  
"Hi Lily," James said as he sat down in the seat across from her.  
  
"Can't you sit somewhere else, Potter? Like way down there," Lily pointed to the other end of the table.  
  
Sirius answered for him. "No, those seats are where the first years usually sit."  
  
"My point," Lily replied brutally. "You guys act just like them."  
  
"Maybe we do," Sirius replied in a childish tone. "Doesn't mean we want to sit near them. They have coodies!" Everyone laughed except for Lily.  
  
The Great Hall hushed at that moment because Professor McGonagall led the scared first years in and sorting hat began to sing its song.  
  
James didn't pay much attention to what was going on at the front of the hall, seeming as he had already witnessed six years of sortings, including his own. He decided his time would be much better spent staring at Lily and planning out new ways to make her his.  
  
James didn't even notice that it was time to start eating until Sirius shook him and told him to snap out of it.  
  
"Oh sorry, man," James muttered in reply and starting spooning some mashed potatoes on his plate. After the mashed potatoes, he made sure he got a little of everything else that was sitting out.  
  
"Mmmm. This is good," Sirius said taking a bite out of his mashed potatoes.  
  
"You say that about everything they make!" Remus exclaimed.  
  
"You'd eat anything," James grinned.  
  
"So," Sirius said defensively. "Who cares if I'm not picky?"  
  
"So, Lily, how was your summer?" James asked genuinely interested.  
  
"Why would you care?"  
  
"Because I do."  
  
"Well if you must know," Lily began, "it was the same as usual."  
  
"Now's the part where you ask me how my summer was," James instructed.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and asked, "How was your summer, Potter?"  
  
"It was great, actually. Sirius stayed with us for the whole summer and Peter and Remus came and visited for a couple of weeks," James grinned. "And we bought our school stuff like a week early and stayed at the Leaky Cauldron for a couple of days."  
  
"That's good, I suppose," Lily replied.

**XXXXXX**

****   
  
Lily, Monica, Jennifer, and Caroline were sitting on one of the couches in the Gryffindor common room. Lily was complaining about how she didn't think she would be able to make it through the year with James Potter. "I'm going to wake up every morning and he'll be waiting for me in the commons area so we can go to breakfast together. I'm not going to survive!" She exclaimed and starting shaking her head back and forth.  
  
"Get over it, Lil," Caroline snapped. She was sick of hearing how wretched James Potter was for six, going on seven, years straight. She personally didn't see what was the matter with James. He was funny, smart, and sexy. How could Lily not like him?? _"I'll never get why she hates him, will I?"_  
  
"Lily, you're going to be fine," Monica shot Caroline a look. She was also annoyed at hearing about James Potter's flaws, but didn't think they should be rude about it to Lily.  
  
James walked up to the couch and sat on the arm, next to where Lily was sitting. "So, Lils," he began, "do you want to walk with me to our rooms?"  
  
Before Lily cold say no, Monica cut in. "She'd love to and we were just about to go to our room anyways. See you tomorrow, Lil."  
  
"Bye," Caroline and Jennifer said together.  
  
"Goodnight, I guess," Lily replied angrily. _"I can't believe they are this evil. Having to see him every waking minute will be bad enough, but now he' going to escort me to out tower every night? I was so wrong; this year is already getting worse."  
_  
James stuck out his arm for Lily to take. "C'mon, Lils."  
  
Lily ignored his arm and walked ahead of him.

**XXXXXX**

****   
  
**A/N-I know this chapter's kinda lame but I started writing it at about 12 because I couldn't sleep. Please R&R and tell me what you think of it.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks **


	3. Bad News

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowling created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.  
  
Chapter 3-Bad News**  
_"I can't believe I slept in a room across from James Potter, and lived! Last year at least there were two stairways separating us!"_ Lily desperately wanted to be back in her old dorm with her friends. She decided that she should get up, get dressed, and go down to breakfast.  
  
After Lily got dressed and left the comfort of her room, she found James sprawled on the couch of their common room waiting for her. "Good morning, sunshine," he grinned.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Lily snapped and walked to the portrait hole.  
  
James leapt up from his seat and hurried to catch up with her. "Hey, wait up!"  
  
"No!" Lily shouted and darted off down the hall.  
  
James ran up along side Lily. "You do realize that you're stuck with me now," he grinned.  
  
Lily stopped and glared at him with narrowed eyes. "I am not stuck with you if I don't want to be!"  
  
"Lils," James paused, "that's where you're wrong. I'm like a stray dog. Once you feed me, or in this case, acknowledge that I'm alive, you're stuck with me for all eternity."  
  
Lily huffed and started her trek to the Great Hall. _"I don't want to see James Potter, let alone have a conversation with him. Why can't he just leave me alone?"_  
  
James was still following her, but decided it would be better to stay a few paces behind so he could think of new ways to make her like him. _"This is tough. What would make Lily like me? Maybe Remus will know, seeming as she actually talks to him."_  
  
James' thoughts kept him occupied for the rest of the way to the Great Hall. He watched Lily go join her friends and start laughing about something or another. "One day, Lily Evans, one day."  
  
"One day what?" someone asked from behind him.  
  
James turned around to see who had spoken to him. "What do you want, Snivellus?" He looked at Snape's greasy hair and started laughing, "You haven't taken a bath in a while, I presume. Wait, I forgot. You always look and smell this bad," James said and wrinkled his nose in disgust.  
  
"You better watch your back, Potter," Snape spat. "Oh, and watch your filthy mudblood's, too," he added as an afterthought and glared at James.  
  
"Don't call her that!" James shouted and whipped out his wand. By this time, the students at the end of the Gryffindor table close to James and Snape were staring.  
  
"What's the matter? Does it hurt your little feelings?" Snape laughed and started walking off.  
  
Once Snape turned his back, James shot a hex at him that caused his arms bones to become flexible. "You should take your own advice, Snivellus." James laughed and turned around only to be face to face with Professor McGonagall.

**XXXXXX**

****  
Lily and her friends were watching James and Snape's argument warily. They had heard James shout something a moment ago and noticed that his wand was out. Lily saw James point his wand and saw Snape fall to the floor, his arms and legs flailing about madly. "Look," she started laughing, "Snape can't move!"  
  
Lily's friends eyed her suspiciously. Since when did she laugh at James Potter's pranks and antics?  
  
"Why aren't you guys laughing? Snape just got what he deserves. He's absolutely wretched!"  
  
"Lily," Monica started cautiously, "do you realize that James is the one who just hexed him?"  
  
"Yes,' Lily snapped back. "I know it was James."  
  
Caroline leaned over the table and stared at Lily. "Are you ill?"  
  
"I am fine! Am I not allowed to laugh when I find something funny?"  
  
"It's just that the Lily we saw and spoke with yesterday despises anything and everything James Potter says or does," Jennifer said. "Look," she pointed over to where James and extremely angry Professor McGonagall stood.  
  
"How much detention do you think he got for this one?" Monica asked.  
  
Lily was about to answer her question when Remus, Sirius, and Peter sat down near the girls. "What'd he do this time?" Remus asked.  
  
Jennifer smiled at him before replying, "He hexed Snape with a bendable bone or jelly hex."  
  
Sirius started chuckling. He cleared his throat then yelled over to James. "NICE ONE!"  
  
James looked at Sirius and gave him a quick thumbs up, while McGonagall gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"SORRY PROFESSOR! PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR PUNISHMENT!" Sirius grinned. "How much detention do you think he got for this one?"

**XXXXXX**

****  
After McGonagall walked off, James looked over at Lily. He was surprised to find her staring at him. Though when their eyes met she blushed and turned to Monica and said something to cause them both to laugh.  
  
_"Well here goes nothing. Chin up, man." _James walked over to where Lily was sitting and sat down in the empty seat beside her. Lily pretended not to notice him sit down.  
  
"Prongs, how long did you get?" Sirius asked giving James a congratulating smile.  
  
"Cleaning the trophies for tonight only. Seeming as I'm the first person to clean them since last year, she probably figured they were bad enough for me to do one night only," James informed them.  
  
"Why did you hex Snape in front of all the teachers anyways?" Lily asked, finally acknowledging James' presence.  
  
"He called you a filthy mudblood," James replied coldly with a disgusted look on his face. "I don't why he thinks he can, anyways. You're so much better than he is. You're smart," James softened his tone into a whisper so that she only could hear what he was about to say, "and beautiful and perfect in every way."  
  
Lily blushed and turned to Monica, who was staring curiously when she the red flush in Lily's cheeks. "So Moni, what ab-"Lily was interrupted by the flapping of numerous wings.  
  
An owl dropped the Daily Prophet in front of her. She was about to pick it up and see if there was anything interesting to read in it, when James snatched it off of the table and stared at the front page horrorstruck. "Th-that's my h-hous-se," he stammered.  
  
**A/N-I know killing James' parents off on their second day back at Hogwarts is pretty cruel, but there is some sanity to my madness. Please R&R.  
  
Thanks MissMrprk! The "deflating-process will start soon, hopefully! Congrats on being the first to review.  
  
-ilovecaptainjacks**


	4. A Change?

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowling created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.  
  
Chapter 4- A Change?**  
  
Lily looked at the picture he was staring at and read the headline beside it, '_Aurors Murdered by Voldemort's Death Eaters.' _ She met his pain-filled eyes with her own terrified ones.  
  
"James, I'm so sorry," Lily said in a small voice filled with emotion. Then she gave James something she never thought she would give him, a hug.  
  
"It-it's not yo-your f-fault," James sobbed into Lily's shoulder. He was filled with so much angst, that he didn't realize Lily Evans, the love of his life, was giving him a hug.  
  
While Lily held James, Sirius snatched the Daily Prophet from its forgotten place on the table and read the first sentence of the article before dropping it in shock. _"The respectable Marie and David Potter were murdered in their London home by Voldemort's Death Eaters earlier this morning..."_  
  
Remus saw the shock in Sirius' face and looked at the paper. He was about to offer James and Sirius some words of comfort when a cold voice spoke from behind him.  
  
"Did poor little Jamesie's parents bite the dust?" Snape snickered. After McGonagall had undone the hex put on Snape, she sent him on his way. He had already known about the attack on James without having to see the Daily Prophet this morning. Even though James had hexed him earlier, he didn't care because he knew James would be sorry when the owls brought the mail.  
  
James didn't hear Snape, but Sirius did. "You knew about this, Snivellus?" The anger upon Sirius' face was also evident in his voice.  
  
"Of course. All of the Dark Lord's faithful servants know of his plans," Snape replied proudly.  
  
Sirius stood up. "You mean killing innocent witches and wizards because of their bloodlines? Not a very good plan if you ask me. What do you think, Mooney?"  
  
Remus stood up and snarled, "I think they are all like Snivellus, stupid and outnumbered." Then he drew his wand and pointed it at Snape. Sirius followed suit.  
  
"You're right," Sirius laughed. "Snape is stupid and already outnumbered."

**XXXXXX**  
  
At the teacher's table, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were having a hushed conversation about what they had read in the Daily Prophet about the Potters.  
  
"Why would you-know-who have his followers kill two pureblooded wizards?" Minerva McGonagall asked.  
  
"People like Voldemort are out for power. They will murder anyone willing to oppose them, as well as those in their own ranks, to gain that power, Minerva," Albus Dumbledore replied.  
  
"What about Potter? Do you think he knows?"  
  
"I will talk with him in my office after breakfast and excuse him from all his classes for the rest of the week."  
  
"Make sure you tell him not to worry about that detention I gave him today."  
  
"Sure thing," Dumbledore said and called a Ravenclaw fifth year over to go and tell James Potter to be in his office after breakfast was over.

**XXXXXX**  
  
"Back off," Snape snarled.  
  
"Are you scared, Snivellus?" Sirius grinned.  
  
Jennifer leapt up from her seat. "Are you two mad? James' parents just died and all you two can do is hex Snape to the next century?"  
  
Remus looked at Sirius and then back at Snape. "Leave or else we will hex you into the next century!"  
  
Snape looked from Sirius to Remus and decided it wiser to heed the warning and went back to the Slytherin table.  
  
Sirius glared at Jennifer. "Did you not hear what he said? He's a freaking Death Eater!"  
  
"Your friend needs you right now," she replied and sat back down.  
  
"She's right, you know. We can get Snivellus another time." Remus rationalized and sat down in his seat.  
  
"Excuse me," a nervous-looking boy said timidly.  
  
"WHAT?" Sirius roared at him.  
  
"Pr-Profess-ssor D-Dumbledore wa-wants to s-see J-James P-P-Potter in h-his off-office after br-breakfast-t," the boy trembled.  
  
"Well, I'll make sure James gets that message because," Sirius looked over at James still wrapped in Lily's arms, "he's a little wrapped up right now." The boy darted off as soon as Sirius was done speaking. "What was the matter with him?"  
  
Sirius tapped on Lily's shoulder. "Do you think I could get a word in with James before breakfast is over? He's kind of got somewhere to be in," Sirius glanced at his watch, "oh, about three minutes.  
  
Lily stroked James' cheek and softly said, "James, breakfast is almost over and Sirius needs to talk to you about being somewhere in three minutes."  
  
James lifted his head off of Lily's shoulder. She saw the tears on his cheeks and brushed them away with the tip of her finger. Then she gave James a weak smile, stood up, and walked over to the empty seat beside Remus.  
  
"Dumbledore wants to see you in his office after breakfast," Sirius informed James.  
  
"Thanks," James mumbled.  
  
Students were getting up all around them. "Come on. I've got class to get to and you have to go see Dumbledore." Sirius stood up and motioned for James to do the same, but he wouldn't.  
  
Lily listened to what Sirius said and saw that James wouldn't get up. "Sirius," she paused, waiting for him to turn around, "let me take James to Dumbledore's office."  
  
Sirius looked at Lily unsure. "But won't you get in trouble for being late?"  
  
"I'll just say I had to discipline some students for...fighting in the hall."  
  
Sirius nodded and walked off.  
  
"Come on, James," Lily said softly and held out her hand.  
  
James stared at it for a moment before grasping it. Lily smiled at him and they started walking towards Dumbledore's office, still holding hands.

**XXXXXX**  
  
**A/N- This is not my favorite chapter!!! It took me forever to decide how to write it-lol! But I hope you guys enjoy it.  
  
Do they have bells at Hogwarts? Please tell me if they do-lol!  
  
MissMrprk-whimper I know!! But this chapter made it a little better.  
  
Czarina-Kathryn- Thanks for being so nice! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!  
  
Blind-Sight- I'm glad you liked it. Sorry about "knocking off" his parents but something tragic has to happen!! Lol  
  
Hyper-Shaman-Girl- Yeah that was a little bad. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
The-power-of-love- It'll work out in the long run.  
  
-ilovecaptainjacks **


	5. Sweet Heart?

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowling created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 5-Sweet Heart?**

"You're here," Lily told James as they stopped in front of the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. "I'm going to go to Charms now."

"Thanks," James mumbled back.

"You're going to be alright."

"I guess so."

"Well, I'll see you in class or after classes or whenever." Lily smiled and squeezed his hand. "Bye." She turned and was about to walk down the hall towards charms when James' hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

"Please don't go," James pleaded.

Lily turned around. "I have to get to class, and you have to go see Dumbledore."

"Fine," James let go of her arm.

Lily darted off as fast as she could. _"Why I am I being so nice to him? Is it because his parents died? No, because I'd be a wretched person if that was the case. I think I just understand the pain he's going through. I think we're friends now."_

**XXXXXX**

"Ah, Mister Potter. How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked in a worried tone.

James had regained himself during the long walk up the stairs to the headmaster's office. He wasn't shocked anymore, just angry. "I guess as good as I can feel right now."

"That's good to hear. You're excused from classes for the remainder of the week and that detention you have earned yourself. Do you need anything?"

"No."

"You're free to go," Dumbledore motioned for James to stand up, which he did. "And if you do need anything at all, you know where to find me."

"Thanks," James replied and walked out of Dumbledore's office. On the way to the Head's tower, he thought about Lily. _"How is it that she knows exactly what to say and do to make someone feel better? I suppose it's because she's perfect in every single way..."_

**XXXXXX**

"Lil," Monica stopped walking once they were out of Charms and in the hallway, "why were you so nice to James earlier?"

Lily reddened at the question because she wasn't sure why she had been nice. "I guess because he needed someone. It's not like any of his friends were trying to help."

"Yeah, well it's not like they got a chance to," Jennifer retorted.

Lily looked at her coldly. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You were all over him before anyone even had a chance to look at the paper." Jennifer grinned. "And besides, I've always known how much you like James, and what happened earlier proves it!"

Now Lily was glaring at Jennifer. "I wouldn't jump to conclusions if I were you," she snapped back. "James needed a friend today. Just because I realized that and acted on it, doesn't mean that I like him!"

Caroline jumped into the conversation at this point. "And since when do you call James by his first name?"

"Oh my god!" Lily screamed. "You guys are taking this way to seriously. I can call James Potter by whatever name I want to call him! I could call him sweet heart if I wanted and it wouldn't make a difference! All we'd ever be is friends."

"Then why don't you call him sweet heart for now on? We'll just see what happens." Caroline grinned wickedly. "And I mean sweet heart is the only thing you can call him."

Lily frowned. "Fine, but-"

Caroline cut her Lily off before she could finish. "No buts about it. The only thing you can call James is sweet heart, no matter what!"

"So I have to call James sweet heart for the rest of the year to prove that we're just friends?" Lily looked a little confused.

"Yes," Caroline replied.

"And what happens if I don't?"

"We'll tell James that you like him!" Jennifer exclaimed.

Lily bit her lip and thought about it for a moment. _"I don't like James but if I don't call him sweet heart, they'll tell him I do like him. Well, I'll know it isn't true, but that would make living with him worse. He'd bug me about it every day and I'd hate think of what else he would do!"_

"So?" Caroline asked. She was getting annoyed because they were already late for Potions and would surely get points taken away from Gryffindor.

"Fine, I'll do it. Now can we get to Potions? We're late already and you guys know Professor Parker will give us a mouthful about it." Lily said and started walking towards the dungeons.

Jennifer, Caroline, and Monica looked at each other and then ran down the hall to catch up with Lily.

**XXXXXX**

James looked at his watch. Lily would be here any minute and she'd probably give him all the assignments they'd done that day. And he'd do them just so he could spend more time with her. Even though his parents died, James was still as in love with Lily as he ever was.

The portrait suddenly swung open and James stood up from his comfy place on the couch.

He heard a girl say, "I don't care what you say. We're coming with you to make sure you don't accidentally forget what you're supposed to do." The voice's owner then stuck her head through the portrait hole and James saw that it was Lily's friend Caroline. "James, we'll only take a minute, okay?"

James gave Caroline a confused look. "Um...okay."

"Great." Caroline's head shot back into the hall where it had come from and the portrait swung shut."

James could still hear muffled shouting out in the hall. _"Wonder what's bugging them." _

Once again, the portrait swung open and in came Lily, closely followed by her friends.

"Hey," James waved.

Lily came and sat on the couch beside him. "Are you okay?"

Jennifer, Monica, and Caroline took seats in various places around the room and watched intently.

"Yeah," James answered. He was glad that Lily was back and wouldn't be lonely. Earlier, he had decided that he was going to classes tomorrow. It was to boring to be stuck around here all day with nothing to do.

The room got quiet after that. Lily was thinking of different ways to call James sweet heart with out sounding like she was in love with him, James was uncomfortable with the fact that Lily's friends wouldn't stop staring like that, and Monica, Jennifer, and Caroline were too busy waiting for Lily to slip up and say James.

Lily decided to break the silence. "I'm going to fill," she pointed at James, "him in on what happened in our classes. So I guess I'll see you guys later." She was trying to get them out of there so she could explain to James what was going on.

"Why don't we help you?" Jennifer glared at Lily.

Lily realized they wouldn't leave until she called James sweet heart. She looked at her friends and said, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure there are things you guys would rather be doing right now." Then she turned to James. "Don't you think they should go enjoy themselves, sweet heart?"

James looked at Lily dumbfounded and started nodding his agreement. _"Did Lily just call me 'sweet hear'? I've waited so long to hear her say something like that to me!"_

Lily's friend shared an excited look before Monica rose and motioned them to do the same. "Now that you mention it, I'm sure there's something for us to do. Bye," Monica said and walked towards the portrait hole.

Caroline and Jennifer giggled before following Monica out the portrait hole.

When they were gone, Lily looked at James. She was surprised to see the grin she found on his face. "We need to talk," she finally said.

"I think we do," James grinned even harder, causing Lily's face to become as red as her hair.

**XXXXXX**

**A/N- Yes, I know it seems like James got over his parents deaths kinda fast, but he hasn't. He's just decided that he might as well act as normal as possible because crying over them isn't going to bring them back. I know I didn't make him say that in the chapter, so I'm clarifying it now. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now go ahead and review so your name can join the ones I'm about to list.**

**MissMrprk-Thanks for reading it. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

**Hyper-Shaman-Girl- I'll take your advice and not comfort any guys. I don't want any obsessive stalkers-lol. Glad you liked it.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	6. Yes?

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 6- Yes?**

"So let me get this straight, you're friends are...forcing you to call me sweetheart?" James asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yes, but..." Lily's voice trailed off. _"I know he thinks that I like him now! He probably thinks that the truth is just a lame excuse to cover up my feelings for him!"_

"But what?" James asked, still clearly confused.

"Well, uh, we're only friends though," Lily stated. "Nothing more."

James looked shocked, but not for the reason Lily thought. "We're friends?"

"I think we should be. Face it; we're stuck with each other. So I figure we might as well be on pleasant terms."

James gave Lily a huge grin. "I absolutely agree."

"Wow, that was easier than I thought it would be," Lily said and the relief in her voice was obvious. "Now, I think we have some schoolwork to do."

"Do we have to?" James whined even though he really wanted to because it would mean Lily would have to spend time with him.

"Yes," Lily said in a whiny voice that mocked the one James had just used.

"Wait," James paused, "I was just thinking. You get to call me sweetheart, so it seems only fair that I call you some term of endearment back." He started grinning wickedly. "Any suggestions?"

Lily just stared at James incredulously. _"Everyone is going to think we're together. Wait, is that a bad thing? Of course it's bad!! Why would I think otherwise?"_

"I think I'll just call you what ever comes into my mind at that moment," James grinned. He figured he'd be able to get something out of this sweetheart thing and desperately hoped it would be Lily.

"How about you just call me Lily," she was annoyed by the fact that he wanted to call her something like sweetheart, but even more annoyed that she actually wanted him to!

"Or how about I call you Lilykins!" James exclaimed. "It has your name in it, so that should make you happy."

Lily turned bright red. "JAMES POTTER! That is not what I meant and you know it," she squealed.

"I gave you the chance to pick your name! It's not my fault that you didn't suggest anything!" James grinned. _"Why is she being so difficult about this? I could just refuse to let her call me sweetheart! No, no, no! That's not an option."_

Lily frowned at James, still red as a cherry. "But I don't want you to call me anything, other than my real name!"

"Now, now, Lily dear. What will my public think if you're calling me sweetheart and all I call you is Lily?"

"I don't care what your public thinks, James Potter!"

"You just called me James Potter. Isn't there something else you should be calling me?" James asked a very frustrated Lily.

"Do you see Caroline or Jennifer or Monica or anyone else?" Lily snapped. "Because I don't!" Then she stood up, rushed into her room, and slammed the door.

James stared dumbfounded at where Lily had been sitting beside him on the sofa only seconds ago. "Wonder what's bugging her."

It had been two weeks since Lily's dare. Everyone had grown accustomed to Lily calling James sweetheart and him calling her whatever he felt like at the moment, mostly Lilykins though.

"So, sweetheart," Lily started, "did you do the Transfiguration homework yet?"

James looked at Lily and raised his eyebrows. "Hmm?"

"I need a little help. So have you done it?"

James grinned. "No, and I'll gladly help you, Lilykins."

Lily's friends giggled and immediately stopped when Lily shot them an icy glare.

Lily stood up and grabbed James' hand. "Come on sweetheart. Let's go somewhere else and do this." She gave her friends another glare.

"Why don't you guys go to your common room? It won't be crowded in there," Sirius snickered.

"Thanks for the wonderful idea, Sirius," Lily smiled. She then dragged James' through the portrait hole.

"Lucky, lucky man," Sirius muttered.

"Sirius!" Monica playfully hit him on the chest.

"What? Do you want to go somewhere more private?"

She nodded and Sirius took her by the hand and pulled her through the portrait hole.

"Wow. They could've saved a bunch of time by just kicking us out," Jennifer told Remus. "It's pretty empty here now."

Remus chuckled.

"So all I have to do is swish my wand and say R_ipta Sempray_?" Lily asked.

James nodded and Lily smiled.

"Okay, here I go." Lily straightened up and swished her wand, "_Ripta Sempray_!" A siberian tiger shot out of her wand.

"Wow! You'd be a siberian tiger!" James exclaimed. Professor McGonagall had taught them the charm to see what animal they'd be if they were an animagus earlier in class and wanted them to practice it for homeork.

"Your turn!"

James replied by standing up and swishing his wand, "_Ripta Semprey!_" A stag shot out of James' wand.

Lily squealed in excitement and reached out to pet its head before it dissappeared.

James watched her and smiled.

"This is so cool! I'd be a siberian tiger and you'd be a stag in animagus form!" Lily smiled at him. "Thanks for helping me!"

"Any time," James replied.

"I'm going to go to the library now," Lily said. "I need to work on that Potions essay."

"I'll see you later, Lily," James grinned.

"Bye, sweetheart," Lily replied over her shoulder as she was walking towards the portrait hole. When she realized what she had siad, she stopped dead in her tracks and spun around to see James' shocked face.

"So, darling," James said and walked towards Lily until he was right in front of her.

Lily looked at James with an expression like that of a deer caught in a car's headlights. _"I can't believe I said that! I never call him that unless there's at least one person around us! Why would I call him that now?"_

James took Lily's hands in his own. "There's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up. Would you like to go with me?"

Lily still looked startled. _"I can't say yes! That would mean that I like him, which I don't! And I'll hurt his feelings if I say no, and maybe ruin our friendship..." _As Lily thought about this, she realized how much he had changed in the month since they'd been at Hogwarts.

James was staring intently at Lily. Her brow was furrowed as if she was deep in thought.

"_He's changed so much. Maybe I should give him a shot. What's the worst that could happen? It's just Hogs-"_

"Lily?" James asked, breaking her train of thought.

"Hmm?"

"So do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" James asked nervously.

Lily looked at him and smiled, "I'd love to."

James looked as if he had jumped over the moon and back. "YE-," he coughed," uh, perfect!"

Lily giggled and then ran off to her room and shut the door.

"I'M THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD! I JUST GOT A DATE WITH LILY EVANS!" James shouted at the top of his lungs. Then he darted off to find Sirius and Remus and tell them the good news.

**A/N- I'm so sorry about not updating earlier. School started last Monday, and I'm now a freshman so its been hectic. Plus I had a soccer tournament this weekend, otherwise I would've updated then. But for now on, I'm going to update at LEAST once a week, hopefully more.**

**I know the whole sweetheart dare thing was lame, but it worked out for the best-lol! I also know it seems kind of sudden for James and Lily to go out, but you'll see my evil scheme! Mwahahaha!**

**hyper-shaman-girl: Cruel? Nah...Thanks for reviewing.**

**tiffyrose: Just because I don't know how to read doesn't mean I don't know how to write! And of course it's good-I wrote it! Conceited, I know. **

**missmrprk: Sorry I didn't update soon like you requested, but htanks for reviewing.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	7. Cancellations

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 7- Cancellations**

Sirius stared at James incredulously and asked, "She agreed to go to Hogsmeade with you by her own free will?"

It amazed James how thick his friend could be sometimes. "YES, YES, AND YES. I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT YOU COULD'VE UNDERSTOOD IT THE FIRST TIME I SAID IT!"

"Honestly, Padfoot, your intelligence amazes me sometimes!" Remus exclaimed with a twinkle in his eye. He turned to James and asked, "So when is this Hogsmeade trip anyhow?"

"My date with Lily is on, uh," James paused ad furrowed his brow in thought, "October 10th!"

Remus' eyes stopped twinkling when he heard the date. "Great," he mumbled. "I won't be able to go."

"Why?" Peter asked. He wasn't the brightest of the group and his grades proved that.

Sirius glared at Peter and replied, "Why don't you use your brain and think about it? It's fairly obvious!"

Peter still looked utterly confused until a light turned on. "Oh!"

James looked at Peter and shook his head. He knew he was never going to understand his friend. He turned to look back at Remus. "I'll just tell Lily something came up and that I can't go with her after all," he replied after a moment of hesitation.

Remus looked shocked and started waving his hands frantically in the air, "No, you can't do that. You've waited for this since first year!"

"It's okay Moony. You're my friend, and you've stuck by me. And now it's my turn to do the same for you. Plus, I'm pretty sure she'll understand."

"No, James. I won't let you. You really like Lily and have waited too long for this to blow it on me!" Remus was adamant that James was going to go with Lily.

James stood up and looked at his friend. "I'm sure she'll understand." After saying that, he left to go find Lily.

Lily was sprawled on her bed working on her Potions Essay, but had gotten a little sidetracked. So far her piece of parchment read:

"_The Polyjuice Potion is a very complex potion because it takes a month to brew. And you don't know if it worked until you drink it._

**-skip a few lines-**

_James and Lily_

_James Potter and Lily Evans_

_James and Lily forever!_

_Lily and James Potter_

_Lily Potter_

_Lily Evans Potter_

_Mrs. Lily Potter"_

Lily read her Potions Essay over and smiled. She took her quill and started drawing little hearts around their names.

Knock-Knock. **(A/N-That's supposed to be someone knocking on Lily's door.)**

Lily's head snapped up and she instinctively folded the parchment up and stuck it in her robes. "Hold on! I'll be there in a minute!"

Lily hastily made her way to the door. She saw James standing there and smiled. "Oh! Hello, James!"

James smiled back at her and said softly, "Hey, Lily."

Lily grabbed James hand and pulled him over to the bed and plopped down. "Here, sit," she said and patted her hand on the empty spot beside her.

"Right, er," James said nervously and sat down. He was having doubts about canceling the date.

"So, what's up?" Lily asked cheerfully.

"Well, I, uh, I have some rather bad news."

"Hmm?" Lily asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well,' James paused, "it has to do with Hogsmeade."

Lily's smile died completely. She motioned for him to continue with her hands.

"Something has come up, and I can't go with you," James mumbled. "I'm truly very sorry. When James looked at Lily, he was surprised to see two teardrops forming in her eyes.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Lily muttered and evacuated the room. The piece of parchment that she had stuck in her robe moments earlier fell out during her hurried escape.

James frowned and picked the parchment up on his way out of Lily's room. He debated whether or not to open it on the way to his room across the hall.

"Maybe a little peek," he muttered to himself. He was upset at the hurt he had caused Lily. James unfolded the parchment and starting reading it. His heart stopped when he got to the part with little hearts around his and Lily's names.

"LILY!" he yelled and ran out through the common room and portrait hole in search of Lily.

"_Why I am crying over this? I don't like James, or do I? I did write his name and my name together earlier, but I've hated him since first year. This makes no sense! But he is so s-"_

Lily's thoughts were interrupted when she ran into the wall and fell down to the floor. She rubbed her head. "Ouch."

"Oi! That's gonna leave a mark. Here let me help you up," a familiar male voice said and reached his hands out for her to grasp onto.

"Thanks," Lily muttered and grabbed both of the hands. She allowed the man to hoist her up without a fuss.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a soft tone.

Lily looked up and gasped when she saw who the man was. _"I can't believe James saw me run into the wall! Now he's gonna think I'm a klutz and laugh at me."_

James reached out and touched Lily's forehead where a bump was already forming. "Ouch," he muttered.

Lily blushed, causing her face to turn a bright red, when she felt his fingers on her forehead. "I've, uh, got to go, um, study in the, uh, library," she stuttered and started walking towards the library.

"Lily, wait," James moaned and caught Lily's arm. "Can't we just talk?"

Lily turned to face James. "About what?"

"Well," James reached into the pocket of his robe and produced a piece of parchment, "we could start with this."

Lily frantically dug around in her robes. Her face fell when she realized that he was holding the parchment she was writing on earlier. "I, er," Lily murmured nervously.

James smiled knowingly while he watched her try to come up with an excuse. He knew he had been in that situation plenty of times before. "It's okay," he replied softly.

Lily looked into James' hazel eyes and frowned. "No, it's not."

"What?" James looked startled.

"I shouldn't have written that stuff because I don't like you and you don't like me," Lily replied. This time James' face fell.

"That's not true," he replied hoarsely.

"Sure it's not."

"It's not."

"James, nothing you say will make it true," Lily replied matter-of-factly.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"WELL I AM," Lily screamed at James.

"WELL I'M NOT," James paused, "BECAUSE I LIKE YOU A LOT!"

"Then why'd you cancel our date?" Lily asked in a soft voice.

"I didn't want to, but I had to," James said, his eyes full of sorrow. "I swear I'll make it up to you."

Lily looked at James uncertainly. "Fine."

James put on his award-winning grin. "I promise it'll be better than this weekend would have!"

**A/N- I like this chapter! Review and tell me if you guys like it too.**

**MissMrprk- Thanks for reviewing. I hope you enjoy the rest!**

**hyper-shaman-girl- I'm glad you love it, but what does wosh mean? Lol**

**hermione and draco- I'm glad you love it, and yes I'll write more!!**

**pranks are so seriously padfoot- I'm glad someone thought the sweetheart thing was cool! It's not completely evil, as you'll find out in hopefully the next chapter.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	8. The Whomping Willow

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 8- The Whomping Willow**

For the week before the Hogsmeade weekend, James and Lily spent some time together and got to know each other better.

Lily learned that James wasn't as arrogant as he appeared and that he was a really sweet person underneath it all. She loved that he tried really hard to make her laugh and smile, and then acted like that wasn't what he was trying to do in the first place. Lily decided that maybe her crush on him wasn't as bad as she thought in the first place.

James, on the other hand, fell more in love with Lily with each day they spent together. He loved how she was compassionate and didn't want other people to feel bad, even if she personally didn't like them. He figured that was the reason why she took up for Snape every time he and Sirius hexed or made fun of him. James also noticed the way that she would look at him during class or in the hall and blush and turn away when their eyes met. This caused James to think that maybe he did have a chance with Lily.

It was breakfast time and James was in the Great Hall saving Lily a seat beside him. James looked around the Gryffindor table to pass the time until Lily came in for breakfast.

Remus was pointing out something near the east entrance of the Great Hall to Peter, who started chuckling when he saw it. James glanced over his shoulder towards where Remus was pointing and saw what they were chuckling at, Snape.

Sirius was pointing his wand straight at Snape, who was wearing a short, hot pink dress with a matching pink handbag and heels. His greasy hair was done up with pins with a huge pink flower behind his left ear. But Sirius wasn't done with Snape yet. He said something, which James couldn't hear, that caused a pink mist to appear around Snape.

James' gasped when he realized what the pink mist was, an anti-reversal spell. No one, not even the teachers, could do anything about Snape's new get-up, except let the spell end on its own accord. Which, knowing Sirius, could be anywhere from a week to the rest of his life.

James turned away from Snape and Sirius when he saw McGonagall move in that direction. He looked at the west entrance of the Great Hall and saw a very angry Lily making her way over to where he and the other Gryffindor seventh years were sitting.

James watched her. _"God, she's beautiful when she's mad! I guess she saw Sirius and Snape a moment ago..."_

"JAMES POTTER!" Lily screeched.

"That's my name," James grinned slyly," but you can wear it out if you want to."

Lily rolled her eyes and plopped into the seat James had been saving her. "Why did you leave without me?"

James started chuckling. "That's what this is about," he said between chuckles.

"Well what did you think it was about?" Lily asked.

James waved her question off and thrust a plate with a blueberry muffin and banana on it in Lily's direction. "Here, I saved you some."

"Thanks," Lily gave James' a dazzling smile full of gratitude.

"Well," James paused, taking in Lily's smile, "I know blueberry muffins are your favorite." That statement earned him another smile from Lily.

Lily pulled back the peel on her banana and took a bite. "What's," she paused as she swallowed, "your favorite breakfast?"

James put a goofy grin on his face, "Anything, as long as you're there."

Lily blushed and playfully hit James' shoulder. "Stop," she squealed. "And tell me what it really is!"

James chuckled. "Pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream with a side of... Lily!" James started tickling her side.

Lily was laughing hysterically and trying to grab James' hands with her own to stop their never ceasing attacks on her side. She succeeded in grabbing his wrists after a couple of long and agonizing minutes of tickling.

"What was that for?" Lily asked while she wiped some tears out of her eyes.

James, still chuckling, replied, "I told you I wanted a side of Lily!"

Lily stood up and stepped back a few paces. "I'm going to go to the library or somewhere where they don't like my side for breakfast!"

"Hey," James stood up. "I don't like only your side. I also like your b-"

Lily placed her first two fingers on James' lips and said, "I'm not going to let you finish that statement."

"Okay," James replied, his lips lightly tickling her fingers.

Lily hastily pulled her fingers from James' lips and giggled. "I've got to go finish some Transfiguration homework now. I'll see you later." Lily turned and started walking towards the west entrance of the Great Hall.

"Wait!" James called to Lily and jogged up where she now stood still. "I'll come with you. Maybe I can help?"

Lily smiled, "Sure, why not."

XXX

"But Professor," Sirius whined. "The spell will wear off in a couple of weeks! Why do I have detention for two months?"

McGonagall stared at Sirius coldly. "I take it you want three months' detention."

Sirius looked at his head of house incredulously. "No, what would make you think that?"

McGonagall ignored his question and said, "If we're finished here, I advise you go find something to busy yourself with."

"A pleasure as usual, Professor McGonagall," Sirius stated with a grin.

"Mr. Black," McGonagall called. "Your detention starts next Monday. Enjoy your last free weekend."

"Thanks," Sirius grinned harder and ran off to tell his friends what happened.

As he ran past the Slytherin table, he saw Snape sitting alone and all of his housemates pointing and laughing at him. _"Poor Snivelly. NOT! He deserves this and more."_

Sirius ran past the Gryffindor table and made his way towards the owlery. He had a plan on how to deal with Snape. After all, it was his fault that Sirius had detention for two months.

XXX

Snape was utterly embarrassed about his clothes for the next couple of weeks. Sirius had explained about how no one could reverse the spell when McGonagall had questioned him about the counter-charm.

"Hey Snape," Lucious sneered," I think Peter Pettigrew could use a date for Hogsmeade this weekend. And by the looks of what you're wearing, I believe you are the perfect girl for him to take."

All of the Slytherins in hearing range, and even some of the Hufflepuffs who were close enough, erupted in laughter at Lucious' comment. But the laughter was cut short by owls bringing the mail.

A rather fat owl crashed into the table in front of Snape and dropped a piece of rolled parchment before taking off to the sky again. He muttered something about the fat owl and unrolled his letter. The barely legible handwriting told him to go to the Whomping Willow at 7 if he really wanted to know where Remus went every month.

There was no doubt in Snape's mind that James or on of his cronies sent this and had something in store for him tonight. But he still wanted to see what it was. Maybe it would be something that they could get expelled for. That idea appealed to Snape and that's why he decided to see what they had in store for him.

XXX

James and Lily were in the library working on their Transfiguration homework due on Monday. They had only gotten through half of it, though, because they couldn't stop laughing and talking about everything except for their transfiguration homework.

James said something that caused Lily to start guffawing and Madam Pince to walk over to where they were sitting.

"I've warned you two three times already! Now," Madam Pince paused and cleared her throat, "get out of my library."

James and Lily gave each other fleeting looks and gathered things.

"OUT!" Madam Pince bellowed, startling some of the other students who were actually doing their work.

Lily started giggling uncontrollably while James ushered her out by placing his hand on her back and forcing her towards the door to safety.

When they were in the safety of the hall, James and Lily broke down in a fit laughter. Nervous first years were running when they caught sight of the two seventh years sitting in the middle of the hall laughing.

When James had finally calmed down, he turned to Lily and asked, "What are we laughing about?"

Lily shook her head, "I have no clue. But whatever it is, it must be funny."

"I agree," James grinned and looked down at his wristwatch. "Its 11:23. Why don't we go to the common room or for a walk or something?" He pulled Lily up and looked at her while she decided what she wanted to do.

"How about we," Lily paused, "go outside and sit by that oak tree by the lake."

"Sure, if you want to," James grinned. "Come on," he grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her towards the closest door to the outside.

XXX

"Hey, have you seen James?" Sirius asked Remus.

"No, why?" Remus was looking intently at a paper he was holding.

"No reason. Wanna play a game of Wizard's Chess?"

"Can't. I'm supposed to tutor Jennifer in about," Remus looked at his wristwatch, "twenty minutes."

"Oh. Well I guess I'll go find Monica or someone. Bye," Sirius grinned and walked off.

"Yeah, see you later," Remus mumbled and waved Sirius off with his hand.

XXX

James and Lily had been sitting on the bank of the lake and James was telling Lily stories about all the things he and the Marauders had done together in their years at Hogwarts for almost seven hours now. And quite surprisingly, Lily was listening intently and laughing in all the right places.

"How come I don't remember that one?" Lily asked.

"Because you weren't here for Christmas break that year. It was fourth year, you didn't start staying during break until fifth year," James.

"Can you say stalker?" Lily asked and they both erupted into another fit of laughter.

After the laughter died down, Lily started taking off her shoes.

"What are you doing? I don't want to smell your feet!" James exclaimed with a disgusted look on his face.

Lily pulled her last sock off and wiggled her toes in James' face. "Smell lovely, don't they?"

James grinned and grabbed her foot and pulled it tightly to his chest. "Aye, they smell lovely. Do they like to swim?" he asked and plunged her foot into the warmish waters of the lake.

Lily squealed when her foot broke the water and quickly pulled it out. "James!"

"What?" James asked innocently.

"You know what you did, and you're going to pay!" Lily exclaimed and then furrowed her brow in thought. After a couple of moments of deep thought, a light bulb appeared and Lily grinned.

Before James could react, Lily shoved him into the lake and starting laughing. "Do you like to swim James?"

James muttered something and disappeared under the water, causing Lily to gasp. He had said a spell that gave him extra breath while he was underwater while he planned a way to get Lily into the water with him. Then it hit him. If he stayed under for a while without letting any air bubbles break the surface, she would dive in and rescue him.

After about a minute and no sign of James, Lily started freaking out. "James Potter! You show yourself this instant!"

Thinking he was drowning or something equally bad, she dove into the water. To her surprise, she came face to face with him when she surfaced after a couple of minutes of frantic searching. He was laughing hysterically.

"James! You scared the shit out of me. I-I thought-t you were d-dead," Lily sputtered angrily.

James grinned. "Your worry touches me."

Lily made a face at him and swam back to the bank of the lake.

"Where are you going Lils?" James asked and started dog paddling to where Lily now stood glowering.

James stopped in front of where Lily stood and asked innocently, "A little help please?"

Lily muttered something about the boy who called wolf and hauled James out of the water.

"Thanks," James flashed Lily a grin. "I owe you one."

"No," Lily grinned, "you owe me two."

James grinned harder, "Oh yeah."

"You forgot?" Lily presumed.

"No," James paused, "I figured you did! But speaking of that date..."

"Hm?" Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Well," James started and nervously began fiddling with his hands, "how about I make it up to you by escorting you to the Halloween dance?" He grinned at Lily, hoping she'd say yes.

Lily looked at him for a moment before giving her answer. "I suppose since you owe it to me I have to say yes," she ginned.

"Great!' James exclaimed.

"Do you want to take a walk? Maybe the air will dry us out," Lily suggested.

"Sure."

Lily giggled and grabbed James' hand. "Let's go this way," she pointed her finger in the direction of the Whomping Willow.

James' checked his watch. It read 6:22 pm. "I guess we have some time."

"What time is it?" Lily asked and started walking, pulling James forward with her.

"It's 6:22 now."

Lily stopped in her tracks. "Do you realize that we've been out here for seven hours?!"

It hit James when she said that. He and Lily had spent seven hours together, and it had only seemed like one! "Wow, it only seemed like one!"

"I know!" Lily exclaimed and giggled some more.

XXX

Snape checked his watch. 6:40. He figured by the time he made it to the Whomping Willow it would be 7.

He put a cloak on over his pink dress and walked out of the Slytherin common room.

XXX

James and Lily were close to the Whomping Willow now and saw a dark form scurry into the branches, which seemed to be frozen.

James was worried because he knew that was Sirius, Peter, or Remus. Remus would already be in there, judging by the time, and he, Sirius, and Peter would all go together.

Lily clutched James' hand tightly and hoarsely whispered, "What just happened? Why aren't the branches moving?"

James debated over whether or not to tell Lily about the tree and how to enter it. He decided against it, figuring that this was neither the time nor the place. "Go find Sirius. I'll see you later," James said nervously.

"But James," Lily started but James had already run off towards the Whomping Willow.

Lily looked to where James had run off. _"Should I go find Sirius or go help James? What if he gets in trouble and is already hurt by the time I make it back with Sirius?"_

Lily pondered over what to do and ran off.

XXX

**A/N- This chapter is the longest yet with 2481 words!!! I felt like having a cliffhanger, so I figured it would only be fair to make a longer chapter. Our women's team winning a gold medal fueled me through the last page and a half. So don't get used to the longness-lol!!**

**Pranks Are So Seriously Padfoot- I hope your seat wasn't too terribly uncomfortable. I reviewed as quickly as I could, with the Olympics and all! ï **


	9. The Whomping Willow continued

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 9- The Whomping Willow continued**

Lily ran towards the Whomping Willow as fast as her legs would carry her. Even though she didn't know why or how, she knew that James' was in trouble, she felt compelled by some strange force to make sure he was okay.

Lily ran to the tunnel that the aggressive giant tree was guarding just as it unfroze. She made it to the tunnel before the tree could deal her any serious damage.

She stopped once she was inside the safety of the tunnel and bent over to catch her breath. Lily wasn't in very good shape and knew it. She wasn't athletic, like James.

After she caught her breath, Lily started the long trek to find out where James' had gone and how she could aid him. She could hear footsteps ahead of her and starting jogging to catch up to who she hoped was James.

As Lily ventured forward, the tunnel got darker and darker. She pulled her wand out of her jeans pocket and whispered, "Luminos." A ball of light instantly appeared on the tip of her wand and lit the tunnel around her. She could see a dark shape in front of her.

Lily could tell it was James instantly. His messy hair was sticking up in every which way because it was still wet. "James!" she called out and he turned instantly.

"Lily?" James called out questioningly.

Lily ran to where James was standing. "Oh James," she grabbed his hands. "Come on, let's get out of here. This place scares me!"

"I can't go," James pulled his hands out Lily's, "but you have to. Go find Sirius and tell him to get here now! Tell him it's urgent. Go now!"

"No," Lily declared, "I'm not leaving you here."

"Lily, go!" James said in a slightly harsher tone. "I don't want you to get hurt," his voice softened considerably when he said this.

Lily grabbed his hands in her own once again. "No. Something bad could happen to you, though I don't know what."

James thought about this for a moment. He knew she was right. There was no way he could stop Moony, even in stag form, from attacking the person that came in without some help. "All right," he replied after a few moments consideration. "Make sure you have your wand handy. This could get ugly." With that, they took off at full speed towards the werewolf and his victim.

Along the way, James told Lily everything relevant about the situation they were now in. He told her about Remus the werewolf and how he, Sirius, and Peter were illegal animagi so that she wouldn't freak out when she saw either. Much to James' surprise she didn't start lecturing him about breaking the rules. Maybe it was because she was too scared at the moment, or maybe it was because she thought it was admiral reason. James didn't know which

As they drew closer to the Shrieking Shack, a low vicious growl could be heard, along with a high-pitched scream. Lily tightened her grip on James' hand and they both ran faster.

A black shape came bolting from the direction of the Shrieking Shack and plowed Lily down. Lily gave a terrified scream as her wand flew out of her hand and landed somewhere on the ground of the now dark tunnel. She got on her hands and knees and frantically searched for her wand.

James heard a low snarl coming at him and switched to stag form. He lowered his head and galloped towards where the snarl was coming from. His antlers connected with a solid form, throwing it backwards for the moment.

Lily smiled and stood up when her hand grasped the familiar wooden rod of her wand. "Luminos!" she shouted and looked over towards where the sounds of a battle could be heard. Lily gasped and stared at the beautiful chestnut-colored stag holding back a werewolf, whom she assumed to be Remus.

Lily was staring at the stag's beauty, but was shaken out of it when she realized the werewolf was coming straight at her. She panicked and did the first thing that came to mind. "Petrificus Totalus!" The spell hit its target dead-on, instantly petrifying the werewolf and therefore causing him to collapse on the ground.

James changed back to human form and looked at the wolf for moment. He saw Moony's eyes looking around frantically and then ran over to Lily and touched her cheek with his hand. "You're bleeding," he muttered, his voice full of concern.

Lily smiled up at him, "I'm fine."

James nodded and looked around trying to find the person they had just rescued. "Damn, he must've escaped while we were, uh, occupied." He had a pretty good idea of who the person was, but didn't know how he had known to freeze the branches like that.

Lily looked James over. He had a deep gash on his bicep. "James!" she exclaimed and ripped part of the sleeve of her shirt off. "You're hurt! Sit down!"

James obeyed and sat down while Lily kneeled down. "Can you hold this?" she asked handing him her lit wand.

He took her wand and grinned. _"Lily Evans fussing over me, James Potter! Never thought I'd live to see this day."_

Lily ripped the sleeve into two strips and dabbed at James' cut with one. She took the other strip and wrapped it around James' upper arm. "There, that should do it until Madam Pomfrey can have a look at it," Lily muttered, but didn't take her hand off of his arm.

James noticed this and grinned. He grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her beside him. "So why exactly did you follow me here? Didn't want anything to happen to me, eh?" He gave Lily a cocky grin.

Lily frowned and turned her head so she was looking into his eyes, their faces only inches apart. "You are the most arrogant bi-"

She was cut off by James who put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss. They both felt the electricity when their lips met for the first time. They had both kissed other people before, but these fireworks were a new thing for both of them.

Lily pulled away consciously and asked, "Did you feel that?"

James just nodded and leaned in to kiss Lily again when he heard someone, Sirius he presumed, calling his name.

"James! James! Where are you, mate?"

"We're down here!" James called back.

A few moments later, Peter came into view with Snape behind him. Sirius was trailing at the end of the procession with his wand pointed at Snape's back.

"Lookie what I foundie, Jamsie!" Sirius exclaimed and pointed at Snape. "Old Snivelly wants to join our very posh party this evening!"

James stared at Snape. He had known it was him all along, but how did he know about the tree? "As pleased as I am that you could join us on this very fine evening, Snivellus, I have but one question. How did you know about the Shrieking Shack?"

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know, Potter," Snape sneered.

"Actually I would."

Snape opened his mouth to reply, but a very anxious looking Sirius stopped him. "Prongs buddy, is that really necessary?"

"Not at the moment. First things first," James said and stood up. Once up, he held a hand out for Lily to grab onto, which she did gratefully, and hauled her to her feet. "Wormtail?"

Peter, who was staring at his feet, jerked his head up when he heard his name. "Yeah."

"Go fetch Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall," James commanded and then added, "and perhaps Madam Pomfrey," as an afterthought.

Peter nodded and ran down the tunnel to do his task.

Sirius muttered something that caused ropes to bind Snape's legs and arms together.

"Now Padfoot," James said and turned towards Sirius, "how did Snape find out about the Shrieking Shack?"

"I don't know," Sirius replied a little too quickly.

"Yes you do," James replied, reading through Sirius' lie.

"Okay, fine. It was all me," Sirius revealed red-handed because he knew James could tell he was lying. "I sent him a letter earlier telling him how to get in."

"Why?" was all James could manage.

"Because he got me two months detention!" Sirius defended.

"No," Lily snapped, "you got yourself two months detention. And it's probably because you're the one who caused this," Lily pointed at Snape's new attire.

Sirius glared at Lily. He knew she had a point, but he didn't want to admit. He had freely hexed Snape's clothes, and got the punishment he deserved.

James blew up in Sirius' face. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO REMUS? YOU KNOW HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THE WOLF! IF SNAPE HAD DIED, HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH HIMSELF!"

Sirius looked James' in the eye and softly said, "I know."

"Then why'd you do it!" James asked in a less harsh tone.

Lily intervened before Sirius could reply. "Uh, guys," she said in a shaky tone and pointed over at the werewolf who was now stirring when James and Sirius looked at her.

"Run!" James shouted and grabbed Lily's hand. They didn't want to be there when Remus was able to move.

Sirius pointed his wand at Snape, who was still bound in ropes, and muttered, "Leviosa." Snape levitated towards the entrance of the tunnel in front of them. Sirius, James, and Lily ran behind him.

Sirius, who had been in the lead, hit the knob that caused the tree's branches to freeze and ran through, still levitating Snape. James and Lily followed suit and ran after him. They made it through right in time because the branches came back to life and started swinging again.

James, Lily, and Sirius sat in silence for a few moments, trying to catch their breath.

"Damn," Sirius muttered once had caught his breath. He muttered the counter-charm to reverse the ropes binding Snape.

"Prongs! Padfoot!" a voice they all assumed to be Peter called.

"Over here," James called back.

Peter ran breathless over to where James' voice was. "Professor," he huffed, "Dumbledore says to wait here. And," he took a long breath, "that he'll be here ASAP."

"Thanks Wormtail," Sirius replied.

After a few moments, a loud bang sounded in the air and a golden feather was floating down at them with a letter attached to it. Lily grabbed the letter and feather and read it aloud. "The feather is a port key that'll transport you to my office. It'll activate within two minutes of you receiving this letter."

"Grab on everyone," James said because he was the first to realize what the feather meant first.

Everyone did what he said and there were instantly transported to Dumbledore's office.

**A/N- I don't know how to spell all those spells like Petrificus Totalus. And I don't know if the effects of PT wear off or not, but in my story they do! lol. Now Lily and Snape know about Remus! That's where I was going with ch7 and James having to cancel their date. That's my evil scheme, if it really is evil. **

**After I finished this chapter, which amazingly took less than a day (wow, its amazing what the 80s can do for you-lol) I decided that the name The Whomping Willow fit it as well. So ta-da, you get a continued chapter!**

**tiffyrose- I will keep on writing because I am the best! jklol.**

**MissMrprk- :) Thanks for reviewing!**

**Pranks Are So Seriously Padfoot- I guess I didn't exactly lie to you. Because now James and Lily will have no secrets between them, or will they? And no, I guess I am not the queen of all things evil. Voldemort and Hitler beat me to that title, and plus who wants to be known as the Queen of Evil? lol.**

**insanelysexyjennifer- ummm....yeah. You're not insanely sexy, I am! Remember? ;) Good girl, just make sure to read the rest!**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	10. Aftermath

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 10- Aftermath**

Dumbledore looked around the room at the five students. His eyes landed on James. "Ah, Mr. Potter. Would you care to explain to me what happened earlier?"

James' eyes darted around the room nervously. He didn't want to get Sirius in trouble, but he didn't want to lie either. Thankfully Sirius saved him from having to make either choice.

"Sir, it was all my fault. I told Snape how to get into the Shrieking Shack," Sirius muttered guiltily.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Pettigrew, and Ms. Evans, you are all free to go," he said and motioned them towards the door. "Mr. Black, we shall discuss your punishment further in a moment," he motioned Sirius towards the door also. "Just wait outside the door. Oh, if any of you need wounds tended to, go visit Madam Pomfrey," he added as an afterthought.

The four students filed out of Dumbledore's office and Sirius closed the door behind them.

"Nice knowing you," Peter clapped Sirius on the back and rand down the stairs.

"Nice knowing you," Sirius mocked him. "What's up with him anyhow? He's been acting awfully strange lately."

James shook his head back and forth. "No clue. But we," he pointed to Lily and himself, "must be leaving. I don't wanna be here when Snivelly gets out of there. See you man."

"Bye," Lily muttered to Sirius.

"C'mon," James said and grabbed Lily's hand. "Let's get back to our common room."

"No," Lily replied forcefully. "We're going to the Hospital Wing and then we can go... somewhere else," she looked at James suggestively. Sirius chuckled, which earned him a cold stare from Lily.

James grinned. "Sounds good to me." He gave his consent to Lily's plan and dragged her down the stairs towards the Hospital Wing.

XXXXX

"Mr. Black, I know you already have two months worth of detention from Professor McGonagall. Your punishment will be another month's worth of detention and no Hogsmeade tomorrow or for the duration of the three months you have detention. What you did today was dangerous and could've cost somebody their life. I will also be deducting 50 points for your actions today."

"I understand, sir," Sirius replied sorrowfully. _"Three months detention and no Hogsmeade. Man, I've really blown it this time!"_

"I also expect that you will explain to Mr. Lupin about tonight's incident?" Dumbledore asked, but the way he phrased it made Sirius feel like he didn't have a choice.

Sirius nodded in reply.

"Good," the twinkle that was normally seen in Dumbledore's eyes returned. "Now that we've got this matter settled you're free to go."

Sirius nodded once again and got up to leave.

XXXXX

Madam Pomfrey had fixed James and Lily up, and now they were going back to their common room.

James kept on glancing nervously over at Lily. He wanted to ask her about earlier in the tunnel, but was afraid she'd say it was some horrible mistake.

The silence was making Lily nervous, so she decided to break it. "So this is why you couldn't go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I suppose I'm able to go now. Seeming as I'm not going to be staying up all night. Unless you want to, that is."

Lily smiled, "I think I'd rather go to Hogsmeade with you tomorrow."

"Good," James grinned, "I was hoping you'd say that."

Lily grabbed James' hand, "C'mon. We need to get to bed!"

James looked at his watch. "But Lily, it's only 9! We have an hour or two!"

"And what do you suggest we do for two hours?" Lily demanded.

James grinned, "Extracurricular activities?"

"God James," Lily smiled and lightly hit him on the chest with her free hand.

"Lily dear, that hurt. You shouldn't hit so hard," James joked and rubbed his chest in the spot she had hit.

"Stop being such a baby, James," she smiled.

"Me, a baby?" James laughed. "What gave you that idea?"

"Let's think about what would've given me that notion. Could it be the fact that you whine about everything?" Lily smiled at the face James made.

"Why did you kiss me if I'm such a baby?" James asked seriously. He didn't realize that she had been joking with him.

"James," Lily paused, "I was joking! You would think that a king prankster, like yourself, would recognize a joke when he saw one!"

James grinned again. "Wow, you really had me going there. I thought you were serious!"

"No, I could never be him!" Lily exclaimed and they both laughed at the overused joke.

They walked a little further, still hand in hand, in silence before they made it to their common room.

"Polyjuice Potion," Lily told the unicorn painting. It neighed its hello at her and swung open, revealing the common room.

"I swear that painting likes you better than it likes me!" James said.

Lily laughed. "That's not a very hard thing to do."

James stuck his tongue out at Lily.

"Can you be anymore of a three-year-old?" Lily asked as she collapsed on the loveseat.

James sat down beside her and replied, "I can't help it. You bring the child in me out." He started chuckling at the face she made at him. "And I obviously bring the child in you out!"

"Since we're children, that means I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago. G'night James," she said and stood up.

"I was only kidding," James reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down beside him.

"But James," Lily whined. "I really am tired."

"Fine," James paused calmly, "guess I won't be able to kiss you again."

"Did I say I was tired? I was just joking," Lily replied hastily.

"Good," James grinned, "because then I wouldn't be able to do this."

James leaned in towards Lily and his lips met hers. The fireworks started again as their kiss deepened.

James pulled away from Lily, breaking the kiss off, and stood up. "Good night Lily. I'll meet you here tomorrow morning at 9," he said, leaving her dumbfounded on the couch. _"That should give Lily something to look forward to for tomorrow."_

Lily didn't understand what had just happened. James had told her that he wanted to kiss her, and then broke it off almost as suddenly as it had started. She longed for the touch of his lips against hers again.

XXXXX

**A/N- This chapter was gonna be longer because I was gonna put the Hogsmeade trip in it, but decided it deserved to have its own chapter! You guys must be going crazy. I mean I've put out 3 chapters in literally 3 days. Don't get used to it, though! lol.**

**Pranks Are So Seriously Padfoot- Yes I am Miss Problematic. I guess I fulfilled your request by putting this chapter out pretty fast! I put it out so fast that I only got 2 reviews for it!**

**MissMrprk- If you were talking about the Sirius telling Snape thing, I agree. James wouldn't do that to Remus. He also wouldn't send someone to their death. :)**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	11. Hogsmeade, After All

**Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.**

**Chapter 11- Hogsmeade, After All**

Lily woke up and looked at her watch. It was 8:18! Her date with James started at 9, which gave her only 40 minutes to get ready!

Lily jumped out of bed and ran to the full-length mirror across from her bed. She groaned when she saw what she looked like. _"My eyes are puffy, and my hair! It looks like a pack of rats made a nest in it. If I don't take a shower, James is going to think I'm a disgusting pig!"_

Lily ran out of the room in such a hurry that she forgot to put her bathrobe on and also forgot shut the door leading to her room. She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

James ran out of his room, wand in hand, to investigate the loud noise that woke him up. He looked around the common room and shrugged when he noticed the bathroom door was shut. He chuckled when he realized Lily must've gone in there. "Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go."

James turned to go back to his room when he noticed that Lily's door was ajar. He peered in and saw her bed empty, and in disarray. "I wonder is she keeps a diary," James thought aloud and rubbed his hands together while he walked into the empty room.

James looked around the room in awe. He couldn't believe that he was in Lily's room. Granted she didn't know he was in her room, but that didn't matter to James. All that mattered to him was the fact that he was in her room.

James noticed the bureau, and walked over to further investigate it. A chuckle escaped his lips when he saw his reflection in the mirror. He thought he looked pretty funny at the moment. Seeming as he only had his boxers on with his hair even crazier than usual and his wand in his hand. Stuck in the frame of mirror were some muggle pictures of Lily and two people whom he assumed were her parents and some wizard pictures of her and her friends from Hogwarts.

James frowned when he noticed the picture of himself that he had given Lily last year for Valentine's Day. He was holding a bouquet of roses and puckering his lips for a kiss. "I can't believe she kept this," he muttered and looked at all of the other pictures she had crowding the edges of the mirror. James didn't even think about the fact that Lily supposedly hated his guts.

He saw pictures of Lily's families, a few of the Marauders, a bunch of her friends, one such picture of Monica making various funny faces, and one of a strange girl who James had never met. He recognized the brunette's facial features, but couldn't figure out who it was.

James got bored of looking pictures and started looking through one of the bureau's drawers. There were more pictures, a few notes, and a rather thick book with papers sticking out from each of its sides. Intrigued, he picked the book up and closed the drawer.

James opened the book and slowly made his way over to Lily's bed. He grinned madly when he realized the book was a diary. Still walking, he flipped to the back of the book and started reading the latest entry aloud. "October 9, I can't write very long, but I'm so excited. James is taking me to Hogsmeade with him tomorrow after all! I was so upset when I-"

James stopped reading when the book flew out of his hands and onto the bed, which he had just run into. He groaned and picked the book where it lay open on the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

The diary had flipped open to September 30, and James decided to start reading from there. "September 30, Today James Potter asked me out, and I said yes. I didn't know why I said yes at first, but then it all made since to me. I've been having... feelings for James' lately. He's incredibly sexy and smart, and funny and, just perfect! Well, almost perfect. He still does that stupid thing with his hair, but suddenly I find it adorable, and not annoying," he stopped reading and grinned.

"Lily, you dog, you," James muttered in a vain tone. He was about to read more when he heard the bathroom door open and Lily's footsteps.

"Oh shit," he said under his breath and shoved Lily's diary under the bed. His eyes darted about the room looking for a hiding place, and then abruptly stopped. James grinned to himself and sat on the bed and started fiddling around with his hands.

The footsteps sounded closer. He could tell Lily was in the hall and heard her mutter something about her hair and the time.

James looked down at his hands and grinned. He jumped off the bed startled when he heard her shriek his name.

"James Potter! Out, now!" Lily forgot that she was holding a towel against her body and let go of the towel and pointed towards the door for emphasis. The towel dropped, leaving her nude and open for viewing.

James mouth hit the floor when her towel dropped. His eyes traveled down her naked body freely. All he could utter out was "Wow!" The look on his face deeply resembled that of a child's who had just gotten everything they wanted for Christmas.

Lily screamed when she realized her towel was gone and hurriedly bent down to pick it up and drape over her body was again. She looked at James, her face blushing fiercely. Lily noticed that the only thing James had on were his boxers, and her face turned even redder, if possible.

The trance he had been in was broken by Lily's scramble to put her towel back on. James muttered something about having to get ready and dashed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Lily, still thoroughly embarrassed, started getting dressed for her date with James, which was probably going to be really awkward.

XXX

James was grinning to himself and singing a muggle song while he finished getting ready. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. And when it's cold outside girl I've got the month of May. Oh I guess you'd say what can make me feel this way. My girl, talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl.

"My girl, my girl, my girl, talkin' bout my girl. My girl, talkin' 'bout my girl. On a cloudy day with my girl. I've even got the month of May with my girl. Talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout my girl. Talkin' 'bout my girl."

James took one last look in the mirror before he turned to leave, still humming the tune of My Girl. He winked at his reflection and went into the common room to wait for Lily.

XXX

Lily was applying some makeup. Because she was wearing a Rick Springfield shirt, black jeans and three-inch heeled black boots, she only put on black eyeliner, black mascara, and lip-gloss. She looked at herself in the mirror, and when she was pleased she grabbed her wand and stuffed it in her purse.

Taking one last glance at the mirror, she headed out to the common room to meet James. It was already 9:10, and Lily figured that James would want to grab a quick bite to eat and leave.

This time, Lily gently closed the door behind her and stepped into the common room. She crossed the room to where James was standing, dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a plain t-shirt.

James grasped her hands and greeted her softly with a "Hey Lily." _"God, she's beautiful," _James thought as he stared at her in disbelief.

"Hi," Lily replied shyly.

James smiled while he allowed himself to remember the earlier incident. "It's nice to see you with clothes on again but," he smirked, "I liked it the other way, too, though."

Lily took her hands out of his and hit him lightly on the arm with one. "James!"

He smiled and chuckled lightly. "Ms. Evans," he stuck his arm out so that she could take it, "would you care to accompany me to breakfast?"

"Why Mr. Potter, I thought you would never ask," she laughed and grabbed onto his arm. Together, they proceeded out of the common room and towards the Great Hall.

XXX

"Sirius," Monica whined. "Why can't you go to Hogsmeade?"

"I already told you, baby," Sirius replied sorrowfully. "I got in trouble for that little prank on Snivellus," he gestured over to the Slytherin table where Snape, a long, black cloak covering his dress, was sitting with a beautiful, blonde girl, who had her arms wrapped around him.

Monica looked over to where Sirius pointed and gasped. "Snape...with a girl?!"

"I know, I said the same exact thing," Sirius pouted. "Sad isn't it? Snape picks some hussy up, and I can't even go with my girlfriend!"

Monica beamed, "Am I your girl?"

Sirius nodded and Monica giggled. She leaned in to kiss him when James and Lily interrupted them.

"Hey Moni, Sirius," Lily greeted. Her arm was still looped in James.

"Hey Lily..." she trailed off because she was staring at Lily's shirt. "You look great, but who's the cute guy on your shirt?"

Sirius glared at Monica, which caused to giggle. "How about the cute guy BESIDE you?"

Lily ignored Sirius and answered Monica's question. "Rick Springfield is a muggle singer. He sings 'Jessie's Girl,' which is one of my all-time favorites!"

Sirius glared at James. "Great job bringing you Lilykins down here, Prongs," he said sarcastically.

"Don't you just love her?" James grinned and unhooked his arm from Lily's and wrapped it around her body instead.

Lily giggled. She peered at the table, "Well, I think I'll get a-"

James cut her off and picked a blueberry muffin off a tray, "Blueberry muffin?"

Lily smiled and took it from his hand. "Thanks." She took a bite and swallowed and stuck the muffin in James' face. "Bite?"

"No, I think I'll take..." James looked around the table, "pancakes."

Lily shook her head back and forth and backed up. "Not this time James."

He frowned, "But I really want pancakes."

"Oh," she giggled. "Go ahead."

James nodded and took the empty seat beside Sirius. "Here," he patted the one beside him for Lily to sit on.

Lily smiled and was about to sit down when Peter rushed in and took the seat beside James. "Thanks, man. I thought I was going to have to sit with the first years."

James grinned and patted his lap, "Here Lily. Saved you a seat."

Lily sat down on James' lap before anyone else could and wiggled her butt around to find get comfortable. "Thanks," she said and laughed at the grimace on James' face.

"Stop wiggling," James breathed in Lily's ear. His warm breath tickled her ear, causing her to laugh and wiggle more.

Sirius, Monica, James, and Lily talked and ate until it was time for James and Lily to go get a carriage to take them to Hogsmeade. Monica decided to spend the day at Hogwarts with Sirius.

XXX

James and Lily were sitting in the carriage that was going to take them to Hogsmeade.

James intertwined Lily's hand in his. "So, what do you want to do first?"

Lily chuckled, "I don't care. You pick first." She was absorbed in studying James' hand, trying to memorize every detail about it.

He grinned from ear to ear, "I don't care either, because as long as I'm with you, it'll be perfect."

"Aww, James," Lily cooed, lifting her eyes to James', and kissed him on the cheek. "You're so sweet."

"What do I have to do to get one on the lips?" James asked seriously.

"Just be," Lily paused looking for the right word and smiled when she found it, "perfect."

"Okay," James sighed. "You know that's going to be terribly hard for an imperfect person like myself, right?"

"But I think you're perfect," she replied and continued to stare deeply into James' eyes.

An amused grin appeared on James' face, "Since when do you think I'm perfect?"

Lily kissed James on the cheek again and whispered into his ear, "Since you became perfect!"

James had a puzzled look on his face. "And when was that?"

After a few moments of hard thought, Lily replied, "I think it was the day you started acting human."

The puzzled look didn't leave James' face. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when the carriage they were in came to an abrupt stop.

James hastily stood up and opened the door and stepped out. He gave a low, regal bow and held his hand out for Lily, "Madame?"

Lily giggled and placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her out of the carriage. "Merci, Monsieur," she returned in French also and kissed him lightly on the lips.

James' grin was genuine happiness. "Am I to assume that I was being perfect?"

"Yes," Lily blushed and pulled him forward with the hand that he was firmly grasping. "Let's walk around for a bit."

James obliged and followed Lily's lead.

They were strolling around Hogsmeade, pointing out shops they liked and asking questions about the other, when a hand latched onto James' shoulder and spun him around. A hand did the same to Lily.

Lily and James' hands let go of each other because of the direction they spun in. Lily screamed and laughed hysterically when she saw the faces of none other than Frank Longbottom and Alice Prewitt.

When Lily finally caught her breath, she asked, "What the bloody hell was that for?"

A red-faced Alice waved her question off while she tried to fight the laughter that consumed her.

"Yeah, what the bloody hell was that for?" James mimicked Lily with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Frank, having finally caught his breath, answered that question. "We just wanted to ask you guys to join us for a drink at the Three Broomsticks. So do you wanna?"

Lily asked the inevitable, "Like a...double date?"

"Sure," Alice replied. She had just gained her breath back, but her face was still a very bright red.

Lily gave a huge smile and turned to James and gave him her saddest puppy eyes. "Can we, pleaseeeeee?"

He had really wanted to spend some quality alone time with Lily, but if this made her happy he was up to it. "I don't see why not."

"Yes," Alice squealed. "I promise we won't keep you for too terribly long," she winked at James.

XXX

"Four butterbeers, please," Lily ordered the group's fourth round of drinks and threw some galleons on the bar. She made her way back over to the table her friends were sitting. Sinking into her seat beside James, she smiled and squeezed his leg.

"Missed you, too." James checked his watch, "But we've got to head out of here soon."

"Why?" Lily frowned. "What time is it?"

"Ten till noon," he replied casually. Truth be told, James really wanted some quality alone time with Lily and Frank and Alice weren't helping that matter.

"Wow," Alice had a look of awe on her face, "it's been thatlong already?"

Frank knew how James was feeling because he just wanted to be alone with Alice at this point. "I vote this our last mug of butterbeer because I'm pretty sure they," he motioned across the table to where James had his arm wrapped around Lily and her head resting on his shoulder, "would like to be alone pretty soon."

James gave Frank a thankful grin and got a nod in return. "You must be psychic or something."

"Or something," Frank replied which got the group laughing again.

"Four butterbeers?" a waiter asked levitating a tray with four butterbeers beside him.

The four teenagers all nodded in reply because they were all in the midst of laughing.

The waiter nodded levitated the tray slowly down to the table. "Enjoy," he said and disappeared.

Once the butterbeers were gone, the group made their way out of the Three Broomsticks and said hasty goodbyes.

When Frank and Alice had disappeared into the crowd wandering the streets of Hogsmeade, James grabbed Lily's hand and entwined his fingers in his. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Umm...how about Honeydukes or Zonko's?"

"Sounds good to me," James replied and pulled Lily off towards the two shops she mentioned.

They walked in silence until they reached their destination, Honeydukes. James had been reveling in the fact that Lily liked him while Lily enjoyed the peacefulness of their situation, and the feel of James hand around her.

"Ah, Honeydukes," James smiled and pulled Lily inside the door.

Lily took a deep breath. She loved the chocolaty smell of Honeydukes.

"Let me buy you something," he told her. "What are you in the mood for?"

Without hesitation, Lily pulled James toward the chocolates. "Here," she pointed at some small, dark chocolate heats.

He grinned, "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Maybe," she smiled seductively.

"Well, in that case..." he trailed off as he grabbed a bag of the chocolates and rushed over to the counter, Lily still in tow, to pay.

After James had paid for the candy and given it to Lily to stick in her purse, they stepped back onto the noisy street. Zonko's was only a few shops down from where they were standing.

James motioned towards his favorite jokes shop and Lily nodded. He pulled her down the street and into Zonko's, which if possible, was louder than the streets of Hogsmeade!

"Hey James," the clerk greeted. "What do you need today?" He noticed Lily at James' side and motioned towards her, "Beautiful girl you get there. New girlfriend?"

James hesitated. He didn't know if Lily was his girlfriend or not. He was about to answer, but Lily beat him to it.

"Yes," she replied, running a hand through James' hair to muss it further, "I am his new girlfriend."

James turned to look back at Lily and asked in disbelief, "Really?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Great," James murmured and pulled Lily to him for a kiss. He grinned when Lily's eyes closed in anticipation for the kiss.

When their lips were centimeters apart, the clerk shouted sarcastically, "Go get a room!"

James pulled away from Lily and shot the clerk an evil look. "Gee, thanks Ernie. I really appreciate that one, mate."

Ernie, the clerk, laughed, "Good to know James. Now go buy something!"

"C'mon," James muttered and pulled Lily towards the fireworks. "Sirius asked me to pick him up some because he's running low," James explained and grabbed an armful of fireworks and headed to the counter.

Ernie gave James a skeptical look after counting the fireworks. "Twenty-three at eleven galleons each."

James pulled a tiny drawstring bag with the letters "SB" out of his pocket and opened it. "I hope this is enough," he laughed after examining the inside of the pouch and poured its contents on the counter. Out fell a handful of sickles and a couple of galleons.

The clerk counted the coins in front of him and smiled, "You're gonna have to teach me the charm for that bag!"

A grin appeared on James' face, "Not today. I'm...occupied." He grinned even harder and stuffed the fireworks into the tiny bag, much to Lily's shock and amazement.

After all the fireworks were stuffed away, James once again grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her into the street.

"Um, I have a question," James said rather nervously. "Back there in Zonko's, you..." he trailed off and Lily finished his statement.

"Said that I'm girlfriend?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well," she began and leaned her head against them as they walked, "because I am. Aren't I?"

"Only if you want to be," James answered, shock evident on his face, and in his voice.

"Good," Lily giggled and pushed herself closer to James.

"Do you want to, er, go somewhere?"

"Do you want to?" she answered back.

"Well, uh, yeah..." he trailed off.

"Lead the way," Lily replied with a giggle.

James gave a giant grin and turned Lily around, back towards Honeydukes and Zonko's. The walked in silence until he suddenly stopped in front of Honeydukes.

"Sorry to burst your bubble," Lily started apologetically, "but we've been here already!"

"I'm not stupid. It just so happens that this was the, uh, most pleasant way back to Hogwarts," James explained.

"There's a tunnel to Hogwarts in Honeydukes?" Lily asked in a confused tone.

Instead of replying verbally, James grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her into the candy shop for the second time that day. He pulled her to the rear of Honeydukes, near the storeroom.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked in a soft tone.

"You'll see," James breathed in her ear and pulled her into the storeroom. He let go of her hand and motioned for her to stay where she was. "Ah," he muttered and bent down to pull up the hidden trapdoor that led to Hogwarts.

"Hm?" Lily raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"This," he began and motioned her forward, "is how we're going to get back to Hogwarts. After you."

Lily smiled and climbed down the mini-stepladder and into the dark tunnel. She pulled her wand out and muttered, "Luminos."

James stepped down after Lily and pulled the door shut after him. "C'mon," he muttered and grabbed her hand.

"How'd you find out about this secret passageway-tunnel thing?" Lily asked curiously.

James winked at her, "That's for me to know, and you not to know."

"Meanie," she replied with a giggle and started swinging their joined hands back and forth.

"I know this is going to sound childish, but do you wanna race?" James asked in a childish tone.

Lily giggled, "I betcha you can't beat me!" With that, she sprinted down the tunnel, holding her wand in front of her so that she could see in the dark.

James sighed and ran after her. He easily caught up to her and stayed even with her. "This is really pointless!" he shouted at her.

Lily turned her face towards him and opened her mouth to say something, when-

-SMACK!

Lily's wand flew out of her hand as she collided into something, or someone, and groaned.

The tunnel was dark and James fumbled for his wand so that he'd be able to light it up and see whom Lily had run into.

"Luminos," he said and looked at the ground in front of him at the three tangled bodies of...

XXX

**A/N- Please do not get used to 3,802 words. There was a lot I wanted to put in this chapter, so I needed a lot of words. Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Someone please explain wizard money to me!**

**MissMrprk- Here's a cookie for sticking with my story, and for being smart. :)**

**Blad3- I hope you liked some of the situations in this chapter! ;) **

**Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot- Kudos to me for spelling your name right! I liked that part also! But I liked the part w/ the towel and James and Lily better! :)**

**minicrouton86- I'm glad you loved my fic! You can have a cookie too!**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	12. Tiffany

**Disclaimer- Same as usual **

**Chapter 12- Tiffany **

"Luminos," he said and looked at the ground in front of him at the three tangled bodies of Lily, Snape, and a blonde girl who seemed vaguely familiar. He continued staring, flabbergasted, until Lily groaned.

She muttered something incomprehensible and started trying to untangle herself from Snape and his female companion.

"Need a hand," James mumbled and his hand shot out while he bent down to help her up.

Once the three bodies were successfully untangled, James and Snape began shooting each other death glares. Lily, noticed this, and tugged at James sleeve, causing him to look away from his enemy.

"C'mon," she muttered, "let's go."

"Not yet," he turned away from Lily and back to Snape. "How did you and your... friend find out about this?"

The blonde girl noticed the tension between James and Snape and broke it by introducing herself. "I don't believe I've met you before. My name's Tiffany," she thrust her hand at James.

"Nice to meet you," he muttered and shook her hand weakly.

"James," Lily smacked him on the chest for being rude and then turned to Tiffany. "Hi, I'm Lily," she stuck her hand out at the blonde girl with a smile on her face. "Not to be rude, but I don't believe I've seen you before. What house are you in?"

Tiffany smiled and shook her hand, "I'm in Ravenclaw."

"We're," Lily pointed at herself and then James, "in Gryffindor."

"I know who you are," the girl smiled even larger. "You're the infamous James Potter, leader of the notorious Marauders, and you're Lily Evans, the girl who took him off the market. You two are also the Head boy and Head girl."

James grinned, already taking a liking to this girl, "My reputation pre-"

Snape cut in, snarling, "We should be leaving now." He turned and walked away, expecting Tiffany to follow.

"Yeah," Tiffany replied, the smile on her face disappearing. She turned away when a hand grabbed her arm, causing her to spin back around.

"Wait," Lily started, not releasing Tiffany's arm, "we're going back that way. You can walk with me and James, so that we can get to know each other." Lily stuck her other arm out for James, which he happily took.

"Don't mind if I do," Tiffany gladly replied. "I'm right behind you," she called up to Snape. "Um, do you mind relaxing your grip a little?"

Lily turned red and released the girl's arm, "Sorry."

Tiffany waved off her apology, "Don't worry about it. So, how do you guys know Severus?"

"Um, well," James started rather red-faced, "we go a long way back. How do _you _know Sni-Severus?"

Lily used her free hand to smack the back of her boyfriend's head. "It's rather obvious," she spoke to James like he was an idiot.

Tiffany laughed and replied, "Well, he is my boyfriend, and if that's what Lily was talking about, I do agree. It is quite obvious."

The three chatted and laughed until they reached the end of the passageway, where Snape was waiting for Tiffany with an annoyed look in his eye.

Tiffany left her newfound friends side and walked over to Snape and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Guess what!" she exclaimed and grabbed her boyfriend's hands with a gigantic smile on her face. "Lily asked us to join them next Hogsmeade trip for some Butterbeers. Doesn't that sound fun??

Snape saw how excited his girlfriend was and decided to pretend he was excited about this too, in other words grin and bear it. "Yes, loads," he replied in a voice full of fake excitement and plastered a fake smile on his face. "But we have somewhere to be..." his voice trailed off.

James finally spoke up, "Yeah, same here."

The four, more like three, said their goodbyes, exited the passage, and went different ways; James and Lily towards the Heads tower, and Snape and Tiffany towards the Slytherin dungeons.

When the other couple was out of hearing range, James asked the question that had been on his mind when they first came across Tiffany. "Why is she with Snivellus?"

"I don't know and don't call him that," Lily replied. "Maybe he's a really great guy."

"But-"Lily cut him off.

"Do you really want to talk about Severus and Tiffany? Because if you do, I'm sure Sirius is somewhere around here and that he'll be glad to talk with you about them," Lily snapped at him in annoyed voice. "Otherwise," her voice softened, "we could, erm, go somewhere."

"As enticing as the former sounds," James began with a huge grin, "I would prefer the latter."

Lily grinned back at him and entwined her fingers with his, "I was hoping you'd say that." She looked around the corridor, stopped, and turned around. "This is the wrong way," she muttered and pulled James back towards the way they had come.

James looked around and saw a tapestry of a unicorn and grinned to himself. He started thinking about a romantic room for him and Lily. "No, we needed to go the other way," he turned Lily around with him and started walking in the other direction, keeping an eye on the tapestry.

Lily decided that James was probably right and followed his lead. Her thoughts were about James, when-

James abruptly came to a stop and turned around. "I think you were right," he stifled a laugh when he saw Lily's face and started walking, dragging her with him.

Once they had gone past the tapestry for the third time, James stopped and turned them around for the last time. "No, wait. I think we'd best duck in here," he motioned to the door.

Lily frowned. "That wasn't there a minute ago. James...what _did_ you do?"

"Hmm..." he pretended to think about it for a moment before saying, "I really don't know. Why don't we step in and see what it is?"

Lily shrugged. "I guess there's no harm in looking."

"Great," James grinned. _"The perfect end to a perfect day, hopefully."_

"After you, my sweet," James opened the door and held it open so Lily could step into the room.

She curtsied and stepped into the room. A loud gasp escaped her lips when she saw the contents of the room.

James shut the door with a grin and turned around to see how great the room was. He gasped louder than Lily when he saw the room.

Everything in the room was different variations of the color red, the sofas, loveseat, recliners, candles, roses, and so on and so forth. The room's only light was from candles and lamps with red cloths thrown over them and soft, romantic music was playing in the background. It all worked together to give the room a romantic vibe, until you looked at the walls, pillows, and many pictures in frames of James.

James frowned at Lily. "Uh, what were you thinking about when we were out there in that corridor?"

"Um," Lily's face turned a bright red. She didn't want to tell James that she was thinking about him the whole time they were walking out there. "You," she mumbled.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you, Lilykins," he put a hand up to his ear.

"I SAID YOU!" she screamed at him.

"No need to shout, dear," he replied, grabbing her hand and leading her over to a red loveseat in front of a giant print of his face stretched on the wall behind it. "It explains a lot about the rooms, eh, look, though."

Lily gave him a questioning look and placed her hands on her hips as he plopped onto the loveseat.

"Well, Lily dear, it's quite simple to explain. This," he motioned to the room around him, "is the Room of Requirement. It becomes whatever you require, and it looks like you require moi." James gave an arrogant grin.

Lily looked around the room, ignoring his bigheadedness. "And what was it that you required?"

"Is it not obvious to you?" James shook his head. "And I thought you were the smart one."

"Hey!" Lily pointed at him. "One, its not that obvious. And two, its covered in freaking pictures of you!"

James was grinning uncontrollably. "I just wanted a," he paused while grabbed Lily at her waist and pulled her onto his lap, "romantic place for you and me." With every word that he said, the couple leaned closer together.

"Perfect," Lily whispered, her warm breath blowing on his cheek, before their lips met.

James slid one hand onto Lily's lower back, and the other on the back of her head, pulling her closer to him while her arms found their way to his neck. His tongue frantically slid across her lips, begging for them to part and give entrance to his desire. Once she obliged and parted her lips, his tongue explored the depths of her mouth until they both pulled away for air.

James looked at Lily and a lopsided grin appeared on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"Just thinking," he replied while his grin grew yet larger.

"About what?" Lily asked in the sweetest voice she could muster up because she really wanted to know what could cause James to grin that big.

"Well, if you really want to know..." he trailed off.

"James," Lily said, a pleading tone in her voice, "please tell me."

James thoughtfully stroked his chin with his forefinger and thumb while he debated whether or not to tell his girlfriend what he was thinking about.

"James," she repeated, but this time she grabbed both of his hands in hers, "please tell me."

"Well," he paused, "I was thinking about all of those years, six to be exact, that you hated me. And how you really didn't, because I saw some of the pictures I gave you on various occasions on your mirror earlier, before you revealed your incredibly hot and se-"

"James," Lily cut in sharply, a pink tinge appearing on her cheeks.

"As I was saying," he began with another huge grin, "I saw those pictures in your room and it just dawned on me that you didn't hate me all those years, like you said you did. But," his grin faded away as another thought came to him, "if you really did like me, then how come you never told me."

"Um," she coughed uncomfortably, "I didn't like you. Monica kept all those pictures because she was sure I'd need them later in life. And when I started liking you, I asked for them."

"Oh," James sighed.

"Do you want to know why I didn't like you?" Lily asked and when James nodded she told him why. "One, I didn't know you. Two, You were a womanizer," James blushed profusely at this statement, "and three, you were cruel, or at least your so-called 'jokes' were."

"The only reason I was a 'womanizer', as you so kindly worded it, was because none of those girls were you! I went out with them to take my mind off of you, and it boy, did it back fire on me. Most of those girls dumped me anyways!"

Lily looked at him incredulously. "Why?"

"Well," James began fidgeting in his seat and blushing, "during some, uh, situations, I kind of, er, said your name." After saying this, his face matched the color of the reddest rose in the room.

Lily looked baffled and gasped when she realized what 'situations' he was talking about. A hand flew to try and cover the laughs that were coming. Her hand failed, and she burst out in laughter, laughter that caused James to turn an even brighter shade of red.

"GOD, LILY," he shouted, "IT'S NOT THAT FREAKING FUNNY!"

"Yes it is," Lily replied between laughs.

James jumped up, causing Lily to crash into the floor. She didn't notice, though, because she was still busy trying to fight away her laughter.

He looked at his laughing girlfriend and shouted into her ear (he wanted to make sure she heard him, of course), "I'M LEAVING! I'LL TALK TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN A NON-LAUGHING MOOD!"

Lily looked up at him with her tear-filled green eyes and fastened herself onto his leg with her arms. "Never!"

"Whatever," James replied, "I'll just drag you with me, all the way to my room if I have to!" Once that was said, he slowly began his trek to the door, which caused Lily to laugh even harder.

After he was out of the room and small corridor that the Room of Requirement was in, they came into a main hall that many people were in. The onlookers looked at James with confused expressions.

"Sorry, folks. There's a Lily growing on my leg," he offered them an explanation to which they all started laughing.

XXX

**A/N- We just started reading Great Expectations in language arts, so I probably won't be able to update as often. My goal is AT LEAST once a week though. :) And soccer season is starting up this weekend, so there's another thing to add to my lengthy list of things to do.**

**Do you guys realize what 'situations' James was talking about? :) Hehe...I thought it was a good thing to add!**

**Insanelysexyjennifer-hehe...I don't want to put that part in now, so you can have wild, animal sex with 'Nettee' in your head!**

**Minicrouton86-Clad you loved it and I'll do my best to find time to write!**

**FREAKY CHICK- I'll make it kinkier later.**

**Angirl- Ummm...It's called fanfic for a reason. We can make what we want happen! LOL! **

**MissMrprk- Since you liked that cookie, here's another!**

**Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot- Here, have a cookie also! And now you know who the people were...**

**Amy-MWPP- Does MWPP mean Marauders without Peter Pettigrew? Thanks for reviewing.**

**Wounded-angel-You're the only person that has brought up the fact about James! You also deserve a cookie! You'll see what's going to happen with that soon...**

**MCFA- Yes, very mean. Hope you liked it :)**

**Tiffyrose- And I did cave in and tell you! Well, they smooched once, and they'll snog a couple of more times, if everything goes accordingly that is.**

**Mrs-Dan-Radcliffe- Thanks for the reviews. You should like Sean Biggerstaff better, though, because he is SOOO much hoTTer!**

**Hpjsr- I liked the naked part, too. I hope I've kept it up! Wait—that sounded really wrong. LOL**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**

**PS-expect another update by maybe this Sunday, otherwise sometime next week. And if you want me to add you to my emailing update list, email me and say so. **


	13. Outside the Library

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter, blah, blah, blah...**

**Chapter 13**

**(A/N-Real quick FYI: This is the Friday afternoon before the Hogsmeade trip, Saturday, and the Halloween dance, Sunday. Now enjoy the rest of the story!)**

"Padfoot, you lazy arse," James hollered as he pushed Sirius off the couch.

"What?" Sirius asked innocently from the floor.

"First of all-"Peter cut himself off when Sirius gave him an icy glare.

"I don't think it will be possible to finish the rest of this bloody homework in here," Remus said as he gathered his books and parchments into his arms and carefully stepped over Sirius who had made himself comfortable on the floor in front of the couch that James was now occupying by himself, "so I'm going to go to the library."

Lily and Monica had made their way through the crowded common room to where the four guys were and had been standing unnoticed behind James' couch for the past five minutes.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Lily asked.

James looked behind him and grinned when he saw Lily standing there, and thinking she was asking him, patted the empty space beside him, "Not at all."

Lily chuckled, "Not you," and pointed towards the sandy-haired boy who was about to go to the library, "Remus."

"Oh," James pouted.

"Don't worry, Jamsie-poo," Sirius, now sitting up with his back leaning against the couch, "you two can snog later. And, if you're lucky, that is," he added with a smirk, "a great sha-"

Sirius was cut off by James' hand smacking him hard on the back of his head, "Don't even finish that statement."

"Gee Prongs, couldn't have hit me any bloody harder, could you?" Sirius replied sarcastically with a grimace while rubbing the back of his head.

Everyone, excluding Sirius and a red-faced James, were laughing at the exchange.

"I'd love to stay and watch more, but I really need to finish this," Remus nodded down to the pile of books in his arms, "before this weekend."

"Suddenly," James jumped up from his seat on the couch, "I feel the urge to go to the library and do my homework. Sirius..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbled.

"Miss Evans," James held his arm out for Lily, "may I be your escort for this fine evening?"

"James," Lily laughed, "I kind of need my books, as do you."

"I need books to do my homework!" Sirius burst out. "I'll be right back!" he disappeared up the boys' dormitory as he shouted this over his shoulder.

"I would've asked him to get my stuff," James looked thoughtful, "but it's in the Head's room."

"Then go get it," Peter looked at him like he was an idiot.

James looked down and shuffled his feet.

"Do you want me to get your books while I'm in there?" Lily asked.

James looked up with a grin because he was hoping she'd say something to that effect. "Nah, I'll just go with you."

"You guys don't have to make excuses to go off and snog," Monica smirked, receiving a glare from James and a blush from Lily. "You're ALLOWED to snog when you're boyfriend/girlfriend."

James stuck his tongue out at Monica.

"Real mature," she said very sarcastically.

"Ignore her, James," Lily commanded and walked over to the portrait hole. When she realized he wasn't following her, she turned around and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm not waiting all day!"

"Coming, darling," James grinned like and child at a candy store and ran over to where she was waiting. "Couldn't resist my famous Potter charm, eh?" he winked at her and interlocked his fingers with hers.

He leaned in close to Lily and whispered something in her ear, to which she giggled in delight and pulled him through the portrait hole.

"Prongs," Sirius called, running down the boys' dormitory stairs and to the place he had left his friends, "I found my trans..." He drifted off when he noticed everyone in the common room, excepting James and Lily who were already gone, staring at him peculiarly. He looked around, as if expecting an answer.

"James and Lily went off to snog in the Head's room," Monica offered.

Sirius gave a wicked grin, "Lucky, lucky man."

Remus looked at his watch impatiently, "I don't know about you guys, but I would really like to get all of my homework done today so that I can enjoy this weekend!"

"Moony," Sirius paused, "you do realize that we are getting Monday off, right?"

"Yes!" he replied even more impatiently.

"Sirius, dear," Monica patted Sirius' chest, "I think he just wants to enjoy this weekend, seeming as the Halloween dance is Sunday, which he probably has a date to," she scowled at Sirius, "_without_ having to worry about bloody homework."

"You think _Moony _has a date?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"I am standing right here, incase you forgot," Remus snapped.

"I di-"

"-Anyhow," Monica cut Sirius' response off. "I am going to the library so that I will be able to finish my homework and ponder over how I should spend my dateless weekend," she hinted to Sirius and got a puzzled look in return.

Although Sirius didn't quite catch the hint, Remus did. "You bloody git!" he gave Sirius a pointed look and then turned to Monica, "Would you care to accompany my dateless self to Hogsmeade this weekend and pick out a costume for Sunday?"

"Why I'd love to," she glared at Sirius, not because she didn't mind going as friends with Remus, but because he was too thick to pick up her hint. Monica walked off to the library, expecting the guys to follow her.

"Hey-"Sirius started.

"You missed your chance," Remus said with a grin and turned to follow Monica to the library.

"Do you know what just happened, Wormtail?" Sirius asked and turned to his quiet friend who just chuckled and brushed past him.

Sirius stood with a puzzled look on his face before jogging off to catch up with the other three.

XXX

Lily and James were sitting on the couch, fingers intricately entwined, in the Head's common room with mussed hair and clothes.

"James," Lily breathed into his ear, "I think we should go to the library now."

"You're right," he sighed and leaned over to kiss her lightly on the lips before standing up and offering his hand to her. Lily obliged and he pulled her up so that she was standing next to him.

James surveyed Lily and started chuckling. "You might," he put his hand in her brilliant auburn locks, "want to fix this."

"I could say the same to you," she laughed.

James' reply was to sweep his hand through his hair and grin cockily. "Same as usual now, eh?"

"I like it better this way, though," Lily replied and tangled her hand in his hair and tugging it into different directions.

He pulled her hand out of his hair and grasped it firmly. "Well, I like your hair better this way," the hand that was still in Lily's hair starting rubbing all over her scalp, tangling and knotting whatever came into the hair.

Lily gasped and backed up, pulling her hand out of his and his other hand out of her hair.

"You don't like the mad sex hair?" James' gave her a mischievous grin.

"Actually," Lily replied truthfully, "no." She pulled her wand off of the coffee table where she had set it about twenty minutes ago and muttered a charm that caused her hair to become glossy and soft again.

James stepped forward and ran a hand through her hair, "It's also nice this way, though."

Lily took a peek at her watch, "I'd love to stay here longer, but we told everyone we'd meet them there and it's been twenty minutes already."

"Only twenty," James muttered in a shocked voice.

"It would appear so."

"I guess it's time to go, then," James replied and grabbed his and Lily's books and headed towards the portrait hole with Lily following closely behind.

XXX

"Prongsie!" Sirius jumped out of his seat and ran to where Lily and James were standing. "Prongisie, mate! I can't take any more of it," he whined when he reached the couple.

Madame Pince rushed over to the three friends with furious eyes and screamed, "GET OUT OF MY LIBRARY!"

Sirius happily obliged and pulled the other two out with him.

"Look what you've done now, Sirius," Lily screeched.

"What?" he asked innocently. "It's just the library, after all."

"Urg," Lily growled at him, causing him to burst out in laughter, and stomped away.

James shook his head and turned and followed his girlfriend.

"Party pooper," Sirius muttered and went the opposite way of James and Lily.

XXX

**A/N- This chapter was kinda pointless but I wanted another chapter before Hogsmeade and the Halloween dance, which will be 2 chapters. I'm having trouble with chapter names so if there's just chapter with a number, you now know why.**

**Hpjsr- Thanks, and I'm glad you liked it.**

**Minicrouton86- I'm trying to update more but Charles Dickens and his blasted Great Expectations, which is actually quite good, are getting in the way. I guess I'll just have to try harder, lol.**

**Tiffyrose- Umm...that's okay. I can't believe he took our table! Damn that Jewish Nazi bitch and her lover, Coach Bitterman the ass who makes freshman girls cry! LOL**

**Rosina- I'm trying to include more Sirius. And about it being fast-paced, it's already the end of October and my plans have yet to be completed.**

**MissMrprk- All I have to say is, LOL!**

**SCHOOLSUCKZ- My friend's name Is Tiffany, with a Y, and she's in love with Snape so I decided to put her in there and allow Snape to have a girlfriend.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	14. Hogsmeade and Leather

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything. I truly don't, even though I wish that I did own something as great as Harry Potter.**

**Chapter 14-Hogsmeade and Leather**

"Lilykins!" James screeched after he stuck his head in her room. "Time to leave!"

"Hold on!" Lily screeched back, somewhat muffled, from the walk-in closet.

"Fine," James replied a little quieter, "but I'm going to wait for you in this pink chair thing!"

"Don't even waste your time sitting down," Lily replied as she stepped out of the closet dressed in a black Van Halen t-shirt with tight, black jean pants, and a pair of black, hi-top Converse. She had some black bracelets on her left wrist and a few chains on her neck. The only make up she wore was on her eyes, black eyeliner and black mascara.

Lily twirled in a circle showing her attire off to James "You like?"

"Who's Vaughn Helen?" James asked because he didn't know very much Muggle music.

"_Van Halen_," she corrected him, "is one of the greatest bands ever!"

"As enthusiastic as you are about this band," James replied with a grin, "it still doesn't tell me _who_ they are."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Do you want to hear one of their songs?"

"I guess."

Lily nodded and walked over to a Muggle boom box in the corner of her room. She thumbed through a huge stack of CDs until she came to one in the middle and pulled it out of the stack. She gingerly placed the disc it in the CD player and pressed the play button.

Music blared on the speakers and James started humming to the beat of the song, causing Lily to frown.

"I thought you didn't know who they were."

"I didn't know they sang _this_! Back at home, Sirius and I used to blare Muggle music on the radio. Mum ..." his voice trailed off and a pained look came into his eyes.

"Oh, James," Lily replied as she pulled him into a hug. "I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to, you know."

"No, it's just that they're gone... I'm never going to see them again," James choked back a sob.

"James, look at me," she said and he pulled his head off of her shoulder. "They aren't gone until you let go of them. They're always here," she placed her hand over his heart.

James clasped his hand over hers, "I know. It's just so...hard."

"I know," Lily whispered and lightly kissed him on the lips and then hugged him tightly

James felt magically better when she wrapped her arms around her and pulled himself out of her arms and started playing an air guitar and singing, "You know I, I found the simple life, weren't so simple, no. When I jumped out on that road. Got no love, no love you'd call real. Got nobody waiting at home..."

Lily stared at him the whole time he performed, trying her hardest to repress her laughter.

James noticed her staring. "What?" he asked and when he got no reply he said, "That's my favorite part. I couldn't help it!"

Lily shook her head and walked over to the boom box and took the CD out. She put it back in its case. "Don't we have somewhere to be going?"

"Yes," he replied and grabbed her hand.

XXX

"Okay," Sirius began, "Dumbledore told me I had three months detention and couldn't go to Hogsmeade during those three months. He never said anything about the Halloween Ball. And even if he had, it's a costume ball. I could get in without any of the teachers even knowing."

"And your point is?" James asked.

"My point is," Sirius turned to Monica, "will you g-"

"-Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Great. Can you get me a pirate costume, or perhaps a Peter Pan one? I saw that guy in a Muggle cartoon movie before."

"So," Monica began with narrowed eyes, "you want me to buy you a costume so that you can go to the dance?"

"Yes-"

"-YOU BLOODY GIT!" Monica cut him off as she stood up from her seat.

Sirius was taken aback. "Fine, let me reword that. Will you _please _get me a Peter Pan or a pirate costume?"

"OH MY GOD!" she shouted dramatically and waved her hands in the air, not caring that everyone in the Great Hall had stopped eating and talking and were staring at her.

"What?" Sirius asked, not getting what she was talking about.

"I AM DEALING WITH THE KING OF STUPIDITY!" Monica turned on her heel and stomped away after screaming this at him.

"Just make sure you get my costume!" Sirius shouted after her.

"You are a bloody git," Remus told him nonchalantly.

"And why do you say that?" Sirius inquired.

"Because," Remus began as he buttered a bagel, "she obviously wanted you to ask her out."

"Oh shit!" Sirius exclaimed and then ran off after Monica.

"Is he always like that?" Lily asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," James replied. "We've grown used to it, though."

"God, he has less common sense than a flea!" Lily exclaimed.

"Tell me about it," James muttered, causing Lily to burst out in laughter.

"What's so funny?" a female voice asked from behind Lily.

Lily turned her head to see who the person was. "Tiffany!" she squealed patted Monica's empty seat beside her, "sit down."

"Okay," Tiffany replied as she sat down. "So, are we still going to meet at Three Broomsticks later?"

"Of course," Lily giggled.

"Good. What time?"

"Umm..." Lily turned to James with a questioning look upon her face.

"We usually go there at 1," James said. "Is that okay?"

"1 is great," Tiffany replied. "Do you guys want to go costume shopping with us after that?"

Lily turned to James again. "Please," she begged.

James nodded and Lily kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks."

"Anything for you, baby," he replied with a grin before lightly kissing her on the lips.

"Sorry to break you two lovebirds up," Tiffany paused as they both looked at her, "but I've got to go tell Severus what's going on. So if you'll excuse me," she got up from the table and headed towards the Slytherin table.

"Who was that and why'd she mention Snape?" Remus asked after taking a huge bite of his buttered bagel.

"That," Lily started, "is Tiffany, and she's his girlfriend."

"What?!" Remus spit his bagel out and stared at Lily. "You're lying. No woman in their right mind would ever go out with Snape!"

"That's what I said!" James exclaimed.

"He's one of those people that you see and say, 'Ewww...That is truly a face that only a mother can love!' That's what Sirius said the first time he saw Snivelly," Remus said with a grin.

"Stop it you two!" Lily cried out.

James saw how upset they were making his girlfriend so he nodded to Remus and they stopped talking about Snape.

XXX

Meanwhile, Sirius was running down the hall that leads into the Great Hall looking for Monica. He glimpsed a person turn the corner and he ran faster. He turned the corner and saw Monica walking in front of him.

"Monica!" he called and stopped running when he was behind her.

Monica turned on her heel and looked at Sirius through narrowed eyes. "What do you want? To tell me to buy you a different kind of costume," she spat.

"No," he replied softly and looked into her furious chocolate-colored eyes. "I've," he hesitated, "I've been an idiot."

Monica nodded and closed her eyes because she was on the verge of tears and she didn't want Sirius to see her crying about him.

"I'm really sorry," he said softly and grabbed her hands in his. "I'm truly sorry."

Monica opened her eyes and looked at him, tears blurring her vision. "I guess I should've told you..." she trailed off.

"No," Sirius replied forcefully, "I shouldn't have led you on like that. Well, I didn't know you liked me back because those girls told me..."

Monica frowned, "What girls?"

"Those stupid ones that follow James and me around all the time," Sirius mumbled.

She nodded and asked, "What did they tell you?"

"Well, they told me that you liked that guy from Ravenclaw, and that you were," he paused and his eyes reflected some of the sorrow in her eyes, "using me just to get him."

"Sirius," she murmured and squeezed his hands before releasing them only to put them around his neck and pull him to her for a deep kiss. After they both pulled away for air, she asked, "Does that feel like I'm using you?"

Sirius shook his head mutely.

"That's what I thought," she grabbed his hands and held them tightly and leaned her head forward so that it was resting against his chest.

XXX

"Look, James!" Lily pointed out a beautiful chestnut-colored barn owl with green eyes like hers to her boyfriend.

James smiled and chuckled to himself as he watched his beautiful Lily reach out and gently stroke the owl's neck. "Why don't you buy her?"

"I don't have enough to get her," Lily smiled sadly.

"Oh," James frowned. "Do you want to leave now?"

Lily nodded and he grabbed her hand while "accidentally" dropping his purchase from the Quidditch shop.

Once they were outside, James touched his hand to his forehead. "I left my bag in there. I'll be right back."

James ran into the store and quickly grabbed the cage that the owl Lily wanted was in and his bag off the floor. He hurried over to the counter and bought the owl. While there, he asked, "Can you have this sent to Hogwarts?"

"Yes," the clerk smiled. "Who would you like her sent to?"

"James Potter," he replied with a grin.

"Alright," she said as she wrote his names down on a piece of parchment. "Any specific time?"

"Around 7 or 8."

The clerk nodded and said, "Have a nice a day."

James gave a slight wave and walked out of the store to where Lily was waiting for him on a bench.

"Lily, dear," James breathed into her ear, causing her to jump. "We need to leave," he chuckled and grabbed her hand.

"Three Broomsticks?"

"Yeah," he replied in a barely audible tone.

"James, if you're good," Lily paused for the effect and used her most seductive tone for the rest of her statement, "I promise you that you'll get something real good out of this."

James' eyes widened and his mouth formed the most lopsided grin ever.

"Come on, lover-boy," she giggled.

"I'm coming," James replied hastily. "Don't you worry about that, darling!" And with that he pulled Lily towards the Three Broomsticks.

XXX

"Where are they?" Snape muttered under his breath. He wasn't thrilled to be meeting his worst enemy, and to top it all off, they were already late.

"Calm down, hon," Tiffany replied and placed her hand in his. "I'm sure Lily and James are on their way as we speak."

"Fine," he mumbled and brought her hand up to his lips so that he could place a soft kiss on it.

"Oh, Severus," Tiffany giggled and pulled him towards her for a kiss.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything," James said with a huge grin on his face.

Tiffany and Snape broke away from each other. Snape's cheeks were slightly red, which earned him a chuckle from James.

"Sit down," Tiffany motioned to the empty booth across from her.

"So," Lily replied while plopping into the seat and scooting so James could sit, "how are you two?"

"We're fine, and you?" Tiffany asked.

"Same," Lily replied with a genuine smile.

James finally spoke up, "Have you decided what you're getting for tomorrow?"

"I have, but he hasn't," Tiffany smiled and looked at Snape.

"I told you already!" Snape shouted at her. "I'm just glad to be going with you so I don't really care what I wear!"

James chuckled and Lily elbowed him in the stomach. "Stop being such a jerk," she hissed.

James looked at her with wide eyes because he remembered her promise from early, "I'm not trying to be rude. But it's really, _really _funny. I won't do it again."

Lily gave him a knowing look and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Good," she paused and licked her lips, "because then I wouldn't be a very happy person."

James gave a grin that showed all of his pearly whites, "I do so solemly swear," he held up his left hand, "that I will be a VERY good boy for the rest of the day. And I'll start, by buying a round of butterbeers."

James got up and walked over to the counter while Tiffany and Lily discussed, with the occasional input from Snape, the costumes they hoped to find.

XXX

"Is this one okay?" Lily asked and walked out of the dressing room.

James stared in wide-eyed amazement at his girlfriend. She was wearing a very skimpy, form-fitting black leather dress with black leather boots with spiked three-inch heels that went up to her thigh and held a black whip in one hand, and a pair of handcuffs in the other.

James finally gained enough control of himself to say, with a wicked grin, "Is it easy to get out of?" he whispered throatily and slowly began making his way to her.

"James," Lily cried out and slapped him playfully on the arm.

"What can I say? I'm a bloke!" James replied with a stupid grin. "You are buying that, right?"

"I guess if you want me to," Lily replied and smacked her ass before quickly running back into the dressing room and locking the door behind her.

James ran over to the door and tried to open it before he realized it was locked. "Don't provoke me, woman!"

Lily grinned and began taking off the leather dress.

XXX

"James," Lily whined as the group of four left the store, "you never told me what you bought!"

"It's a surprise," he replied back in a mocking voice.

"Wow," Tiffany said and shook her head. "It's not a wonder that you two are together..."

"Hey," James cried out but went unheard because of Snape's and Tiffany's laughing.

"That was cold," Lily muttered.

"I'm sorry," Tiffany replied in a sarcastic tone. "C'mon!" she shouted and starting running to an empty carriage that would take them back to Hogwarts. "I really don't want to walk!"

The three she left behind laughed and quickened their pace a bit.

XXX

**A/N-I'm done! Next chapter is the ball, and it will hopefully be posted sometime next week. A little hint, the more reviews I get, the faster I write.**

**Whoever asked for more Sirius---are you a little happier!! :)**

**Mad-4-u-I'm glad you liked it and I will continue.**

**SCHOOLSUCKZ- lol. I think Snape is REALLY gross too :)!! I do hope you don't seriously think I'm a Mr. Honestly, someone who loves Johnny Depp as much as I do!!! Anyhow, I AM a Ms or whatever it is when you're female and not married.**

**Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot- You are too kind, truly. And I REALLY am trying to update quickly, but damn Charles Dickens and his Great Expectations. :)**

**Little-angel123452000-I hope I updated quickly enough and thanks for the title chapter!**

**Wounded-angel-I kinda realized it was Lumos when I was reading a different fic, but I figured you guys knew what I meant. I'll probably go through and change it soon though.**

**Tiffyrose- I could now say I was referring to my hair after the corner, but it wasn't as bad as Lily's/Lizzie's wild mad sex hair. OMG!! The fair is gonna kick ass, if David can come that is. I hope my dad gets REALLY creeped out.**

**MissMrprk- cake is really good. You should've shipped me a piece or something. :)**

**LadyofLightGaladriel- THANK YOU! I HOPE YOU LIKE THE REST OF MY STORY! ps- I really love your enthusiasm so I gave you some back!!**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	15. Before the Ball

**Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter**

**Chapter 15- Before the Ball**

"So what did you get Sirius?" Lily asked Monica while they were getting ready for the Ball.

"Yeah!" Jennifer replied as she walked out from behind the Japanese dressing screen that Lily's mother had bought her while they had vacationed in Japan.

"Well, he asked for Peter Pan," Monica started as she went behind the screen with her costume, "so he got Peter Pan."

Lily burst into a solitary fit of laughter because she was the only one who knew who Peter Pan was and about his tights.

"Who is Peter Pan?" Caroline asked, eyeing Lily suspiciously.

"He's this-" Lily tried to answer Caroline's question, but couldn't stop laughing so Monica finished from behind the dressing screen.

"-Muggle cartoon character who wears green tights and battles some pirate named Captain Cook."

"Hook," Lily corrected.

"How'd you find that in Hogsmeade?" Jennifer asked in awe.

"I didn't," Monica replied matter-of-factly. "I went to that Muggle town that's near Hogsmeade, and went to a costume shop. That's where I got my costume," Monica said as she stepped from behind the screen. "And I hope he doesn't try to take it off either," she muttered so low that no one heard her.

The three girls gasped when they saw her.

"You-You're Tinkerbell!" Lily exclaimed.

"Of course I am!" Monica exclaimed and twirled in a circle in front of the mirror so she could examine herself. "I couldn't let Si make a fool of himself, now could I?"

"Well, one thing's certain. Even if he does look like a fool, you'll still look great," Jennifer grinned.

"By the way," Lily said as she walked behind the screen, "what are you supposed to be, Jennifer?"

"I am a," Jennifer did what she thought was a sexy pose, "Muggle model!"

"Well you don't look like one," Lily giggled.

"And why is that?" Jennifer snapped.

"First of all, you're not tall enough. And secondly," Lily giggled again, "a model would never wear that."

"Oh," Jennifer said.

"Just say you're," Lily paused and thought for a couple of seconds before exclaiming, "Cyndi Lauper!"

"Is that another one of your Muggle singers?" Jennifer asked with a laugh.

"Yes," Lily replied scornfully as she pulled the leather dress on.

The other three girls giggled as they heard Lily groaning as she tried to put the dress on.

"That's-what you-get-for picking-out leather-" Monica said between giggles.

"Well," Lily grunted again, "James liked it, so I bought it!"

"Geez Lily! You've already been in there five minutes! I still need to get my costume on!" Caroline whined.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch!" Lily snapped.

"Sooorry," Caroline snapped back.

"Guys," Jennifer intervened because she didn't want them to be in a fight. Because if they were in a fight, she'd be expected to pick either Monica or Lily, and if she decided not to pick either, they'd forget that they were mad at each other and be mad at her together. That always got ugly.

"I'm done," Lily announced in a softer tone as she stepped from behind the screen.

"Wow, Lily!" Monica exclaimed. "You look like a total slut!"

"Gee thanks, Moni," Lily replied, amused.

'That's what you're supposed to be, right?" Caroline asked, forgetting the earlier tit.

"Pretty much," Lily replied and looked at herself in the mirror. "Does this make me look fat?" she asked while rubbing her stomach with her hand.

Her three friends looked at her incredulously because she looked like twig and it was unlike her to worry about her weight, anyhow,

"What?" Lily asked, bemused.

"Oh my god, Lily!" Jennifer exclaimed, deciding to have some fun with her friend's fear. "You look like a total cow. Your hips are, like, this WIDE," she stretched her arms out as far as she could.

"Yeah," Monica replied, catching on to what Jennifer was doing. "Don't look at your ass. Your hips are wide, but nothing compared to that _thing_. I've seen barns smaller than your rear end."

"A good name for you," Caroline grinned, "would be Big Butt Bertha, or better yet, Large Ass!"

Lily started hyperventilating. "Oh my GOD! OH MY GOD! I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THIS! I CAN'T LET JAMES SEE ME IN THIS! HE'LL BE DISGUSTED AND BREAK UP WITH ME. AND, AND, AND, JUST OH MY GOD!"

The three girls burst into laughter at the scene they had just witnessed.

"It's okay," Monica replied in a soothing tone after she had finished laughing. "We were just messing with you."

"NO YOU WEREN'T!" Lily screamed at her.

"Actually, hun," Caroline started and stepped beside Lily, "we were only kidding. Does this," she motioned towards Lily's ass," look bigger than a barn to you?"

"Well, no, but-"Monica cut her off.

"Stop being such an idiot and finish getting ready," she commanded.

"Fine..." Lily trailed off and went to her closet and bent over, searching for her boots and whip.

Caroline opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it after receiving an icy glare from both Jennifer and Monica and went

XXX

Remus, James, and Peter couldn't stop laughing at Sirius.

"You look like a green ballerina!" James finally spit out. He had been trying to say that for about five minutes, but couldn't because every time he looked at Sirius, he burst into a new fit of laughter.

"How could she do this to me?" Sirius growled.

"You really remind me of a dog when you do that, Padfoot," Remus said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, it's not a wonder that you trans-"he gave a squeak of fear when he noticed Sirius' irate glare in his direction.

"Yeah, and it's not a wonder that you transform into a rat. You look AND sound enough like one that you could get away with not transforming during full moons," Sirius said in a mocking voice full of venom.

"Sirius," Remus gritted his teeth, "stop being such a damn baby! You're the one who asked for the costume, anyhow."

Sirius muttered something incomprehensible under his breath.

"I have an idea!" James exclaimed, trying to break the tension in the room. "How about the rest of us put our costumes on, and then we can go get our dates?"

"Easy for you to say, mate. You don't look like a freaking sped," Sirius muttered and took another look at himself in the mirror.

"I have a suggestion," Remus said with a how-did-you-not-think-of-this?-look.

"On with it!" Sirius exclaimed impatiently and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Well," he took a long pause and chuckled at Sirius' facial expression of complete agony, "why don't you just take the stupid thing off?"

"YOU'RE A BLOODY GENIUS!" Sirius cried out and frantically began trying to pull the green tights off. He let out a blood-curling scream when he figured out that the costume wouldn't come off.

XXX

"I'm almost fi-"Caroline was cut off by a male scream that seemed to shake all of Hogwarts.

Monica grinned like a madwoman and said, "I guess he just tried to take his beloved costume off.

A loud beating on the door startled the four girls. "OPEN THIS BLOODY DOOR THIS INSTANT!"

Monica grinned and moseyed over to the door. "Darling?" a questioning, but innocent, look appeared on her face as she opened the door and leaned on the frame, folding her arms across her chest.

"What the bloody hell did you do to this thing?" he growled at her.

"What are you talking about?" she let a puzzled look slide onto her face.

"I think you know bloody well what I'm talking about!"

"Hmm?"

"This stupid costume won't come off because you did something to it!"

"You were talking about that? Don't worry. It'll come off tomorrow," she gently touched his cheek. "Now, excuse me, but I have a ball to finish getting ready for." And with that she slammed the door in an angry Sirius' face.

"I hope you know that this isn't funny," came his muffled cry of distress from the other side of the door. After a few heavy stomps and the slamming of a door, Monica let out a giant roar of laughter.

"What did you do?" Lily asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Lily, Lily, Lily," Monica shook her head, "you're the best at charms and you can't even recognize a simple charm? Tisk-tisk..."

"What if he figures out the counter-charm?" Caroline asked.

"Do you actually think Sirius could do that if he tried?" Jennifer shot back at Caroline. "Honestly, the man has less common sense than a flea!"

"True, but," Caroline paused, "what about Remus, James, and P-well he doesn't count. He's got even less common sense than Sirius."

"Like those two would reverse it! They're probably laughing their heads off right this moment," Lily grinned.

"Good point," Caroline replied with a skeptical look before taking a quick peek at her watch, "but I need to go meet Amos Diggory."

"I'll go with you because he set me up with his friend, Robert!" Jennifer let out a squeal of excitement.

"I thought you liked Remus," Lily said with a puzzled look.

"I did, and still might, but I'm not waiting for him to make a move any longer," Jennifer replied with a sigh.

Lily opened her mouth to reply, but Caroline beat her to it.

"I'm leaving... NOW! So if you don't mind walking alone to meet him, feel free to have this chat with Lily. Otherwise, you'd best be walking out that door in no more than five seconds," she motioned towards the door and exited through it with a very excited Jennifer following closely behind her.

"I think I'll do the same as them and go meet my Peter Pan," Monica said with a giggle and left the room.

Lily quickly followed and gently closed the door to her room behind her.

"My, my, my," a voice said from behind her and spun her around to get a better look.

"James," she laughed and gave him a quick hug.

"You look," James paused, searching for the right word, "hot."

Lily giggled and let her eyes wander across his whole body. "What are you supposed to be?"

"I am your," he turned away from her and tied something over the top of his head, "Zorro!" The last part he said with his most Spanish accent, and a not very good one at that.

Lily's eyes bulged out their sockets and she tried to stifle a laugh at his ridiculous masquerade of Zorro.

XXX

**A/N- For Lily's costume think about Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels during the "Oooooh Baracuda" part. James, Sirius, Monica---all quite obvious. For Jennifer, think about Cyndi Lauper in the 80s. I'm not sure what Remus, Peter, and Caroline are yet, so suggestions are completely welcome.**

**And if this chap totally sucks, blame it on my damn flu!! I've been home 2days and have been very delirious during that time.**

**Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot- I know what you mean about getting reviews. Except, sniffle-sniffle, I only got 5 last chapter!**

**Anna dh- This chapter was pretty much boring---or at least compared to some earlier chapters, BUT I do promise the next one will be quite long and eventful.**

**Little-angel123452000- She's not going gothic, her costume wouldn't have worked in another color--except for red that is--and I just like Van Halen.**

**MissMrprk- I know what you mean. The more cookie cake the better!!!**

**GeorgieGryffindor- I updated pretty quick because of your review.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	16. The Halloween Ball

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or the songs I used in this chapter.**

**Chapter 16-The Halloween Ball**

Dumbledore stood up at the teachers table and cleared his throat. "Attention!" he cried out. All of the students, fifth year and above, silenced at the sound of the headmaster's voice. No teacher at Hogwarts, with the exception of McGonagall, could command the students' attention like that without using a voice amplifying spell.

"Tonight is the long anticipated Halloween Ball. It will be enjoyable for all those who decide to follow the usual school rules and," he shot an amused look at the Marauders, "don't spike the punch."

"Sorry about that, Professor!" James shouted at Dumbledore.

A twinkle appeared in the headmaster's periwinkle blue eyes at James' remark. "And without further ado, start the music!"

Loud cheers erupted from the gathered students as a hired squib DJ started playing music. The first song he played was an upbeat, easy-to-dance-to muggle song called Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Not many people got up to dance, but James, who liked being the center of attention, forced Lily up to dance.

Once on the floor, they were the only couple dancing. There were a few big groups of people spread out on the dance floor with them though.

_I heard you on the wireless back in fifty two  
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you.  
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through.  
Oh-a oh  
  
They took the credit for your second symphony.  
Rewritten by machine and new technology,  
And now I understand the problems you can see.  
Oh-a oh_

By now James and Lily were joined by many other couples who figured it must be alright to dance if two of the most popular students were. Everyone was doing crazy dance moves, such as the Sprinkler and Bus Driver, to get in the groove for the rest of the night.

"Having fun?" a breathless James asked an equally breathless Lily after the song was over.

"Yes!" Lily exclaimed. "But it's really hard to move in this dress."

"Wanna take it off?" James asked with a huge grin.

"James!" she cried out.

"I already told you. I'm a bloke and I can't help it that you look hot and very tempting," as he said this he put a finger underneath the spaghetti style strap of the dress.

"James!" Lily repeated herself and smacked his hand.

James stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked, "Do you want some punch?"

Lily nodded and James walked over to the punch table to get her a glass of the refreshment.

"Hey, mate!" Sirius clapped James on the back. "Just got through spiking it with some firewhisky, enjoy!"

"I don't think Lily will be happy about this," James muttered as he eyed the toxic punch.

"What Lily don't know won't hurt her!" Sirius exclaimed and ran off to join his Tinkerbell.

"Don't worry about getting punch. I'm not thirsty," a female voice said from behind James.

James spun around only to find himself face to face with Andrea Catarrh, the sluttiest seventh year Ravenclaw. She was dressed rather scantily in a small nightgown. There was no doubt in James' mind that she was rather desperate and would do anything to get some tonight.

"James," she purred as she wrapped herself around him and tried to urge him onto the dance floor. "Care to dance?"

"Actually," James replied as he began to pry the pesky girl off of him, "no." When he had succeeded in getting Andrea off of him, James started to walk back to where Lily was waiting for him but stopped and looked over at the DJ. A grin appeared on his face as he walked over to the DJ.

"Don't worry," Andrea purred to herself. "You'll have him later." The girl scanned the room and her eyes settled on Lucius Malfoy. She stalked over to him and pulled him onto the dance floor.

XXX

"What can I do for you kid?"

"Well, you see that girl over there?" James pointed at Lily.

"Yeah," the DJ nodded his head and grinned. "She's a hot one."

"That she is," James agreed with the man. "Could you play a song for her from me?"

"For a price," the man replied.

"Is Firewhiskey all right?" James asked and was relieved when the squib nodded.

"What song and what's her name?"

"Waiting For a Girl Like You by Foreigner," he handed over the firewhiskey to the man who hastily stuffed it in his coat pocket, "and her name's Lily Evans."

The DJ nodded and pulled a CD from a stack, "Your name?"

"Ja...Prongs."

"Japrongs? Strange name."

"Just Prongs."

"Still strange," the man waved James off.

James walked over to Lily with smug grin on his face. He tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around.

"James," she murmured and wrapped her arms around him.

When she pulled away from him, he asked, "What was that for?"

"Am I not allowed to hug you?"

"You can do _whatever _you want to me. Especially with those," he pointed at the handcuffs hanging out of her boots.

Lily looked to where he was pointing and grinned. "Maybe later, Zorro."

"You temptress," he whispered into her ear before planting a short kiss on her lips.

James opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it when the DJ spoke up.

"Enough with the fast jams! It's time for a slow one!" Many couples cheered when he said this. "This one goes out to Lily Evans, courtesy of Mr. Prongs," he started the song.

James looked at Lily. "Care to dance?"

Lily blushed and looked at her feet. She looked up into James' eyes and said "Certainly, Mr. Prongs."

James led Lily onto the dance floor and placed his hands on her waist while she wrapped hers around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.

_So long, I've been looking too hard, I've been waiting too long  
Sometimes I don't know what I will find, I only know it's a matter of time  
When you love someone, when you love someone  
It feels so right, so warm and true, I need to know if you feel it too _

_Maybe I'm wrong, won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong  
This heart of mine has been hurt before, this time I wanna be sure _

_I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life  
I've been waiting for a girl like you, your loving will survive  
I've been waiting for someone new to make me feel alive  
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you to come into my life _

Lily involuntarily sighed against James' shoulder. Everything felt so perfect. _James _felt perfect.

James felt Lily sigh pulled her closer to him.

_You're so good, when we make love it's understood  
It's more than a touch or a word can say  
Only in dreams could it be this way  
When you love someone, yeah, really love someone _

_Now I know it's right, from the moment I wake up till deep in the night  
There's nowhere on earth that I'd rather be than holding you tenderly _

_I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life  
I've been waiting for a girl like you, your loving will survive  
I've been waiting for someone new to make me feel alive  
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you to come into my life _

_I've been waiting, waiting for you, ooh, I've been waiting  
I've been waiting  
(I've been waiting for a girl like you, I've been waiting)  
Won't you come into my life? _

Lily pulled away from James and kissed him lightly on the lips.

James grinned and leaned down and whispered in her ear.

Lily looked up at him and nodded. She grabbed his hand and led him towards the doors leading out of the Great Hall.

Once they were out of the noisy hall, James asked Lily where she wanted to go.

"Let's go outside and take a walk," she replied and once again leaned her head against his shoulder.

James brought their joined hands to his lips and gently kissed hers. "Come on," and they slowly starting walking down the hall, towards the nearest door that would lead them outside.

A shape quickly followed after them in the shadows.

XXX

James and Lily had been walking around the lake for a couple of minutes in a relaxing, peaceful silence.

"James..." Lily trailed off, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Lily," James replied to show that he was listening.

"Never mind," Lily muttered.

"Fine, but can I tell you something?" he asked kind of nervously.

"Sure," she replied and as she sat down in the cool grass underneath the giant oak tree by the lake.

"Well," he started and sat down in front of his girlfriend where he could look into her eyes, "I l-"

He was cut off by a splash as one of the giant squid's tentacles lashed out. Andrea took this as her chance to get her revenge against 'the dirty mudblood slut'.

"Petrificus Totalus!" A ray of light shot from Andrea's wand to Lily and petrified her.

James stood up and looked around for whoever harmed Lily. When his eyes found Andrea he pointed at her with an accusing look in his eyes.

"James dear, why don't you just enjoy the rest of the show," she said in a venomous tone and raised her wand and pointed it at Lily again. "Crucio!"

Lily began writhing in agony at the pain the spell caused her. James looked at Lily in horror and then turned to Andrea.

"STOP!" he bellowed before running to Lily's aid.

"Stop what, dear?" Andrea asked with an innocent look as she removed the curse from Lily for the time being.

"If you hurt her one more time, I'll-"

"You'll what? Throw a blade of grass at me? If you forgot, I'm the one with the wand," she motioned to the wand in her hand with a devilish grin.

Lily groaned and stirred, causing both Andrea and James to avert their eyes to her. She began to rise, but Andrea muttered a curse that bound her in ropes.

"Furnunculus," she muttered and caused boils to appear on Lily's skin.

James took this as his chance to do something. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the mirror that Remus had given him for Christmas last year and said "Sirius Black."

Andrea took no notice because she was now levitating Lily and was about to throw her against the giant oak tree's trunk.

"Sirius Black," James repeated again because all he saw was black. The image on the mirror didn't change, but James heard muffled sound and knew that mirror was in Sirius' pocket or something. "SIRIUS! LOOK IN YOUR DAMN POCKET!" he yelled as loud as he could and hoped Sirius could hear him over the music of the dance.

Andrea took her eyes from where Lily was spinning rapidly in the air and looked at James. "What are you doing?"

"What is your fucking problem, James?" a male voice asked, causing Andrea to jump and move her wand, which in turn caused Lily to plummet thirty feet to the ground.

"Get your bloody arse to the big oak tree by the lake. Andrea Catarrh is attacking Lily, and we are defenseless," James said quickly.

"Bloody hell! Come on Monica!" he heard Sirius shout before he saw his own reflection in the mirror.

"Tisk, tisk. Just for that," Andrea snarled, "the mudblood slut is going to pay! Crucio!"

James winced as Lily once again writhed in agony. An angry look appeared in James' eyes before he gave a war cry and threw himself at Andrea. He succeeded in knocking her wand away and pinning her to ground.

"James," she purred with a sadistic look in her eyes, "if you want me that bad, just take me."

"I want you," James growled, "dead."

Andrea's eyes hardened and she venomously spat "That filthy mudblood bitch is causing you to say untrue things."

"Don't call her that," James said in a dangerously low.

"Why not? It's true," Andrea grinned because she knew James' weakness, Lily.

James would've replied to her statement, except he heard Lily moan. He looked around for Andrea's wand and saw it. He grabbed it and muttered, "Incarcerous." Ropes shot out and bound Andrea, much like Andrea had done to Lily earlier.

He looked over to his girlfriend's limp form and ran over to her. "Lily," he touched her cheek and found it to be cold so he gathered her into his arms and sprinted back towards the school.

Once inside the school, James sprinted towards the Hospital Wing. When he got there, he shouted the nurse's name.

She came running from her office and took one look at Lily and motioned for James to lay her down on an empty bed.

"What happened?" she asked as she checked Lily for signs of broken bones and other injuries.

James summed up his story for Madame Pomfrey who gasped when she heard that a student had used an unforgivable curse on another student.

"Will she be okay?" James asked quite nervously.

"She'll be fine. She might not wake up for a couple of days, though," the nurse informed James.

"Are you sure?" he asked skeptically.

"I've seen a lot worse that have been fine."

James still seemed doubtful but sat down in a chair beside Lily's bed and grabbed her hand.

XXX

**A/N-This chapter isn't written very well, but I hope you guys enjoyed it anyhow.**

**Please review people!!! The submit button is calling you to click it. **

**MissMrprk- I have no clue BUT I hope he does.**

**Tiffani- I hope you liked this chapter even though it's not very good. Bu thanks for reading and PLEASE continue reading.**

**Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot- Thanks so much for the cookie. I do feel better. :)**

**Anna dh- Well now you know. Not a very happy ending, though.**

**Harrys 1 Fan- This was as soon as I could post. Hope you liked it.**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


	17. Hospital Visits

**Disclaimer- The usual blah-blah (I don't own Harry Potter or Kiss the Girl from the Little Mermaid)**

**Chapter 17-Hospital Visits**

James was sitting in a chair beside Lily's bed and absentmindedly tapping his feet in an odd rhythm. Sirius was sitting beside James with a nervous Monica on his lap. Jennifer, Caroline, Tiffany, and Remus were sitting on a long, wooden bench on the opposite of Lily's bed than James.

"When is she going to wake up?" James directed towards the nurse who was sitting at her desk at the moment.

Madame Pomfrey looked up from her papers and shot James an icy glare. "Anytime now," she gritted out through her teeth.

"Are you bloody sure this time? You said that the last time we asked!" Sirius whined.

"That's it," Madame Pomfrey stood up and pointed her wand at Sirius. "GET OUT!"

A shocked expression overtook Sirius' face and he hastily jumped out of his seat, forgetting that Monica was sitting on his lap.

Monica landed on the floor with a thud before scrambling up and taking her own wand out and pointing it at Sirius. "I'll give you a ten second head start," she rubbed her butt with her free hand and her face became contorted with pain. "Make it five!"

Sirius squealed and ran out of the infirmary because he knew that Monica wasn't kidding.

"Just don't hex him too terribly bad, dearie," Madame Pomfrey said. "I really don't want to have to deal with his bothersome bickering for that long."

Everyone in the room started laughing.

Monica opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it when she heard Lily groan.

James quickly turned to Lily, as did everyone else, and grabbed her hand,

Lily's eyelids fluttered open and she found James' concerned face staring at her and felt his hand on hers.

"Um, good morning," Lily said with a dazed expression. "Where am I?"

"Actually, good afternoon," James grinned. "Oh, and you're in the hospital wing."

"What?" Lily sat up in the bed with wide eyes. "Why? Last thing I remember was Andrea..." she trailed off, now understanding why she was in the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey hurried over to Lily's bedside and took a quick look at her before looking at all the students in the room and telling them to leave.

Everyone mumbled their goodbyes to Lily and left the room, except for James.

Madame Pomfrey gave him an odd look before saying, "You too, dear."

James muttered something incomprehensible under his breath and then looked back at Lily. "I'll come back later, okay?"

Lily nodded and James gave her one last, caring look before taking his leave.

The nurse starting asking Lily questions about her injuries.

XXX

"Why can't we go with you Prongsie?" Sirius whined while being his usual annoying self.

"Because, well," James hesitated, "because I said so!"

"That was a lame excuse," Sirius grinned. "If you're gonna try to ditch us, at least make up a good lie!"

James grinned back at Sirius. "That was completely lame, wasn't it?"

Sirius, as well as Remus, nodded and James laughed.

"I guess you guys can come," James looked thoughtful. "You are her friends, too."

Sirius grinned. He had successfully manipulated James to get what he wanted once again. "Once again, I have prevailed!"

"Sodder off," Remus gave him an overly annoyed look and looked at his watch. "If we're going to visit Lily, we better get there soon."

"Yeah," Sirius added on, "you know how Pommy gets."

Remus and James both rolled their eyes and got up out of their seats in the Great Hall to begin the trek towards the Hospital Wing.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Sirius cried out while stuffing a few rolls in each of his pockets and one in his mouth. "I'm coming!" He stood up and took one last sad, prolonged look at the food remaining on the table and made a mental note to go to the kitchens later before running out of the Great Hall.

XXX

"Here, dearie," Madame Pomfrey said while handing Lily a vial full of a thick, orange liquid.

Lily nodded and took the vial out of the nurse's hand. She gingerly sniffed at the orange liquid before crying out in dismay. "Argh!! What is that?"

The nurse took one look at Lily before answering her question in a rather cold tone. "That is a potion that will help heal you."

"Why don't you tell me something I didn't know?" Lily questioned the nurse in a voice full of attitude.

Madame Pomfrey looked Lily over before replying. "If you want to get out of here in the nest week, I advise you drink that potion without giving me any lip!" The nurse turned and stormed into her office.

Lily grimaced before plugging her nose and downing the potion. It burnt her throat as it went down.

"Knock-knock," A male voice called from right outside the infirmary's door.

Madame Pomfrey bustled back out of her office and gave a groan of disappoint when she came face-to-face with Sirius. "And how may I help you?"

"Well," Sirius paused as he looked over the nurse's head and saw Lily sitting up in her bed with a grimace on her face as she gently set an empty vial on the stand next to her bed, "I was wondering if we could just go in there and see the lovely Miss Evans?"

The nurse beckoned Sirius close and whispered, "I'd watch out if I were you. She's mighty moody right now." The nurse stepped aside and allowed the three boys to step past her and over to Lily's bed.

Lily's face brightened once she looked up and saw James. "James!" she squealed and scooted to the edge of her bed before patting the now empty side for him to sit on.

James grinned and pecked Lily on the cheek before sitting down beside her and draping his arm over her shoulder. "How are you feeling?" he questioned while looking her over.

Lily shrugged. "I've been better."

"That's good to hear!" Sirius piped in, being sure to add his two galleons worth.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" James asked him.

"Well, no," Sirius gave a thoughtful look to the ceiling, "and yes. I could be a good boyfriend and go get Monica, but I could also be a good friend and stay here to see how my dear flower is doing."

"I'm the voice inside your head. Listen and obey me. CHOOSE THE FORMER!" James said all this in the hope of convincing Sirius to leave.

Sirius, once again, looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. "How about," he began and looked James in the eye, "no. I never listen to the voices in my head. You wouldn't believe the things they talk about sometimes. I don't want to hear them arguing about whose hair is better!"

James, Lily, and Remus all gave Sirius funny looks. It was true, Sirius was a nutter.

"What?" he asked innocently and looked at his three friends in turn.

His reply was silence until Remus decided to speak up.

"I think we could get you into a great therapy group for your, uh, problem. Bridget, the bloody hot seventh year Hufflepuff, was telling me about it. She said that it helped her loads and the good thing is it meets on Mondays."

Sirius gave Remus a puzzled look. "Did you just call me a bloody nutter and try to set me up with some sort of shrink?"

"Not out loud and yes..." Remus trailed off.

"I know where you sleep," Sirius replied in a creepy stalker-like voice.

"Serious," Remus started calmly, "that's just plain creepy. I wouldn't advise threatening anyone with that in the future."

James looked at Lily who was shaking uncontrollably with suppressed laughter. He gave her a light peck on her cheek before calling Madame Pomfrey.

"Yes, dearie?"

"Could you possibly tell me when Lily will be allowed out of here?"

"Perhaps sometime this week..." Lily added in.

The nurse smiled cheerfully. "Glad to see you out of that mood, dear. And the earliest I predict would be tomorrow-"

Lily cut the nurse off with a cheer of excitement.

"-BUT," Madame Pomfrey started in a slightly louder voice, causing Lily to become silent, "I wouldn't count on it."

This time, Lily let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Will she be out by this weekend, Saturday being the day of the first Quidditch match?" James asked hopefully. He supposed it was selfish of him to not want Lily to miss his first game.

"Most likely," Madame Pomfrey gave a thoughtful look before adding, "but if she's very cooperative, I can promise she'll be out by Thursday."

"Thank you, thank you, and thank you!" Lily squealed. "I would hug you right now, but..." she looked at the nurse who nodded with understanding eyes.  
  
"Not a problem, dearie, and if you need me I'll be in my office." The nurse went to her office, leaving the three teenagers alone.

Lily squealed and kissed James passionately on the lips. After they broke apart James looked very shocked and was rather red. He looked at Remus and Sirius and then at the door. Remus understood and grabbed Sirius by the arm.

"I think it's time you go be a good boyfriend," he said while leading Sirius out of the infirmary.

Sirius looked over his shoulder and noticed James and Lily making goo-goo eyes at each other. "If you want to kiss her, James mate, kiss her." He began humming a tune and then sung out, "Sha la la la la la. Don't be scared. You got the mood prepared. Go on and kiss the girl. Sha la la la la la. Don't stop now. Don't try to hide it how. You want to kiss the girl. Sha la la la la la-" He got cut off because Remus had apparently heard enough of his singing and dragged him the rest of the way out of the hospital wing.

James' cheeks had reddened even more by Sirius' behavior and he gave a nervous look at Lily. He was surprised to see her looking at him and smiling.

"You know Sirius is right," Lily whispered before continuing the song where Sirius had left off earlier. "Float along. And listen to the song. The song say kiss the girl. Sha la la la la-" She, like Sirius, was stopped short, but by James placing his index finger on her soft, luscious lips.

"Am I allowed to kiss the girl now?" James whispered. Lily nodded so James removed his finger and gently touched his lips to hers before deepening the kiss.

"Lily, dear," Madame Pomfrey called from her office, causing James and Lily to quickly pull apart from each other, before she walked out of her office with another vial in her hand, "this one should have you out by tomorrow."

"Bring it on!" Lily exclaimed before grimacing at the memory of the orange potion from earlier. "Does it taste like the last one you made me drink?"

"No," the nurse said, causing Lily to grin, "but its worse."

Lily's grin quickly turned into a grimace, but remembering the earlier deal, she didn't protest.

XXX

**A/N- Should I wince as the rotten vegetables hit me that you all are throwing?? I know its been a while. Like 2 weeks and I'm really sorry!! I just wanted to start an Oliver/Katie story because this chapter was pretty hard to write!**

**I know that I haven't mentioned Quidditch much, so I'm making amends now. And I'm thinking about going back and rewriting the first couple of chapters to include it. If I do though, it will mean less new chapters so I guess just review and tell me what you think I should do.**

**Thanks to little-angel123452000, Tiffani, Blind-Sight, Hpmuggle, Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot, Pixy-Misa-Misao-Amano, Lilly, tiffyrose, MissMrprk, Harrys 1 Fan, and minicrouton86.**

**Hpmuggle- I'm American, too, and I was really obsessed with Friends at the time I wrote the first chapter. (I still am but no one needs to know that :) ) And if you still wanna be fanfic buddies, feel free to email me. Chasrokus yahoo .com (no spaces)**

**minicrouton86- Love the accent! Can't do it myself, but still love it! :)**

**REVIEW!!! (if only to say good or bad or whatever, I don't care. Just Review)**

**-ilovecaptainjacks**


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